


Deep Waters

by GerdavR



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Armitage Hux Needs A Hug, Bad coping mechanisms, Blow Jobs, Enemies to Lovers, Idiots in Love, M/M, Poe is an idiot, Shameless Smut, Space Pirates, Stranded, TW: dub-con in chapter 17
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:15:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 91,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27541432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GerdavR/pseuds/GerdavR
Summary: Poe winds up a prisoner after a failed deal with pirates. One of his cellmates in none other than the infamous General Hux! Can they work together to escape the clutches of the kidnappers and form an alliance that will forever change the Galaxy as they know it?
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Armitage Hux
Comments: 207
Kudos: 115





	1. Setting Sails

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to my wonderful beta [Crownedsparrow](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/crownedsparrow)! I could never have done this without you ^^

The first thing Poe noticed was the unmistakable stench of tibanna gas that filled the air of the cantina. It was the smell of cheap, low-quality blaster cartridges leaking gas. Stepping from the sweltering heat outside into the cool dive gave him goosebumps. He rolled the sleeves of his khaki shirt down to cover his arms, took a deep breath and scanned the room with his eyes. The patrons were wearing tatty leather jackets or shirts with sweat stains, and eyed him as soon as he stepped into the dim light of the bar. Poe had to suppress a grimace when the smell of sour sweat, cheap booze, salty seawater and sugary tibanna gas attacked his olfactory senses.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” he asked the man by his side, trying to breathe through his mouth lest he get another whiff of the odour of this gin palace.

Sylop chuckled, or coughed, Poe wasn’t entirely sure. “You said you wanted to meet your acquaintance in the _Purple Parrot_ —this is the _Purple Parrot_.” The tall burly human man took a drag off his cigarette and blew the smoke out of his nostrils.

Poe didn’t like it. He had been in a few sleazy cantinas in his youth. It wasn’t the smell itself that unsettled him, but the sneaky way the rugged-looking customers peeked at him while pretending to play Sabacc on the ill-lit dark tables.

He had a bad feeling about it. But he had to see this mission through. He straightened his back and patted his companion’s shoulder. “Alright, at least we don’t have to wait with dry throats. What is the local speciality?”

Sylop smirked again. Poe could see that several teeth were missing. “The local bird people make decent rum.”

Poe strode deeper into the room as if he belonged here and sat down at the counter of the bar on a stool that creaked ominously when he pulled it up. “Rishi Rum please.”

The barkeep—a one-eyed Ugnaught with a nasty old scar across his face—nodded and poured Poe a drink in a surprisingly clean glass. He knew that it was reckless to consume anything in a place like this. But he had to get things done and as far as he knew he wouldn’t make any headway with the smuggler he was about to meet if he didn’t show that he knew his way around the galaxy’s underbelly and didn’t shy away from a risk.

He gulped the rum down as if it were water. It burned in his throat and he suppressed a cough. “Another please—and one for my friend too.” He threw a credit stick on the counter. It was enough to cover the drinks and a small tip—another sign that he knew what he was doing.—Overtipping was a rookie mistake. It only showed that one had too much money.

Sylop sat down next to him and lit up another cigarette. “Much appreciated, Mr. Bey.”

Poe clinked his glass against the other. “May the seas lie smooth before you,” he said in Huttese.

Sylop crooked his eyebrow and replied in kind: “May a gentle breeze forever fill your sails.”

They both drank. Poe didn’t look at his chronometer but he assumed that it was already past midnight. He briefly wondered if BB-8 had stayed put at the hangar like he had told it. The droid had beeped and honked so sadly that he had almost changed his mind. Seeing this joint, it was probably best it was safe at the spaceport.

He made an effort to listen intently to the sounds around him. The good thing about the old wooden boards covering the floor was that it was impossible for anybody to approach them without him hearing them first.

He grinned at Sylop and leaned back in the chair. “You were right, the rum is good.”

“Life is too short to waste a perfectly good evening with cheap booze.” He downed the rum and the barkeep filled it back up.

“A sound philosophy.” He had to be careful—Sylop’s rugged looks had made him assume his opponent wasn’t clever, but he wasn’t some lowly criminal either. He glanced at the tattoos on his naked arms. Either he was a very stupid man who had no idea what symbols he had inked on his skin, or he had really been affiliated with the Black Suns at one point in his life.

He really, really had a bad feeling about this.

But it wasn’t about his feelings. The Resistance needed the intel, and if it was only half as good as their contact had promised them… well, beggars can’t be choosers.

They sat in silence for a while when a red Kowakian monkey-lizard with a gold collar jumped on the counter, grabbing a bag with nuts the barkeep had opened up. Poe pulled the corners of his mouth down—stars, how he despised these little reptilians. The monkey-lizard giggled in its shrill voice as it shoved nuts in its mouth.

The city was practically overrun with these little pests. Most people threw rocks at them or used them for target practice. Why the barkeep let this specimen sit on the counter and paw at food in front of paying customers told Poe two things—either it belonged to the barkeep himself or to somebody dangerous enough to let their pet roam free without a care in the world.

Just then, Poe heard a large group enter the cantina. A shiver ran down his spine, but outwardly he remained relaxed and sipped his rum.

A towering yellow-skinned Zabrak stomped in. The Sabacc players in the back immediately gathered their belongings and disappeared in the back of the room. Poe turned to face the Zabrak. “Hello—”

“Look at me when you open your damn trap,” said a coarse female voice.

Poe’s eyes snapped down to the elderly green-skinned Twi’lek woman who was standing next to the Zabrak. The monkey-lizard squealed and ran up to her, nudging her with its ugly head.

She wore an old brown leather jacket and a matching headband. On her hip was a custom-made blaster. She looked cheap with her shrill purple lipstick and the red rouge on her cheeks. Back in her youth she must have been a very beautiful woman, heck, she still was—even with the hard line around her mouth and wrinkles around her bright blue eyes.

So this was the Captain of the Nova Blades? Interesting, despite all her street cred she still seemed to care about her appearance, at least judging from the tight pants and the thick make-up.

Poe gave her his most charming smile. “Apologizes, I’m—”

She scoffed. “I know who you are—one of Princess Organa’s lackeys.”

He winked at her, unimpressed by her rude answer. “You are right of course—I’m a mere lackey, Captain…”

“Aashum'crebuy,” she leaned against the counter, scanning him head to toe like she was estimating the price of cattle. “I like your style, and you’re easy on the eye.”

So his instincts had been right—she was vain enough to flirt with him. “Same goes for you, Captain Aashum'crebuy.” He nodded at her blaster. “A SE-44C, that is a fine piece.”

She patted it and her lips curled up into a smug grin. “It is, isn’t it?”

There were many ways a leader of a pirate gang on Rishi could have gotten hold of a First Order officer’s weapon, and Poe liked none of them. Either she had gotten it as a gift… no, the Order would never give something with so much value to lowly pirates. It had to be stolen, and the Order couldn’t allow that. They would go after the thieves with a vengeance—raze planets if necessary.

He smiled again, holding eye-contact. “Care to share a glass of rum with me and tell me if you are willing to share other bounties from your First Order raids?”

She waved the Zabrak and Sylop off and the barkeep put a new glass on the counter, pouring from another bottle. Poe couldn’t quite read the label, but judging from the colour and the smell, it was whiskey.

She gulped it down and turned to face Poe, a self-satisfied grin on her purple lips. “You are a sharp one, Mr. Bey. And you have been around. You are not some lackey, are you?”

“You were quite clear with your demands, Captain. The Resistance—”

“I don’t tolerate fools, Mr. Bey. I spent a lifetime around fools who looked down on me. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the princess sent some greenhorn lieutenant to deal with nasty old Ash.”

He took her hand and kissed it. “My dear Captain, tell me which scoundrel called you nasty and I’ll duel them for the sake of your honour.”

She barked a laugh. “You are shameless, Mr. Bey.” Suddenly she took his hand in a hard grip and pulled him closer to her. “Careful, there is a thin line between my good and my bad side,” she whispered.

“Your wit is as sharp as the blade in your sleeve,” replied Poe with a thin smile.

She laughed again and let go of him. “I like you, I really do!” She exhaled. “But I have places to be—let’s wrap this up, shall we?”

Poe nodded. Despite his best efforts, there was something about the way she looked at him. Something in her eyes made him uneasy. She was dangerous. “My contact said that you have information about First Order supply lines.”

Aashum'crebuy pursed her lips. “My boys have found a little treasure trove of information, a rare thing like an oyster with a valuable pearl in it. You see… it’s hard to pry information from. But of course we could have a look for you if you’re searching for a special kind of pearl.”

“For the right price of course.”

“Of course.”

Poe licked his lips—now came the tricky part. “You understand that we need a little taste first, to make sure that our credits are well spent.”

She pulled an old data pad with a splintered screen out of her pocket and put it on the counter. Poe activated it and saw a list of ship movements. Interesting… it was an overview of the Order’s fleet movement. Incredible! This was very, very valuable! Then a detail caught his eye—the _Supremacy_ was listed despite it having been destroyed three weeks ago. He narrowed his eyes. “This list isn’t current, is it? How old is your intel?”

An expression of annoyance and boredom flashed over Aashum'crebuy’s face and her lekkus twitched a little. Hm, so she had hoped that he wouldn’t notice? “We only found the oyster a week ago, but you know how it is with these kinds of things… they don’t age well. So I suggest,” her face lit up again, “that you make your offer quickly.”

Was she really trying to close the deal with dated information? “This list is useless if it’s more than three weeks old, Crait—”

“Crait almost ended the lot of you!” hissed Aashum'crebuy. “So don’t try to haggle.”

He lifted his hands to placate her. “You expect us to pay top credit for an oyster that isn’t that tasty anymore? Come on, let’s make a reasonable deal. You can’t make any money with that kind of intel once it’s dated.”

“Don’t you dare lecture me, boy! I was running spice gangs before you were even born.”

Poe didn’t know what he had done to make her angry, but it was evident that her earlier good mood had evaporated. Well, she had told him that there was a thin line between her good side and her bad one. But now was not the time to back down.

“Alright, Captain. Name a price, and I’ll consider it.”

She chewed on her lower lip as if in deep thought, scanning him again with her eyes. “100,000 credits for the oyster.”

He crooked an eyebrow. “You’re selling me the oyster itself? You have to be more specific.—Is it a data node or—”

“It’s a high ranking First Order officer. You can interrogate him as you see fit.”

Poe pinched the bridge of his nose. Stars, what a wasted trip! “100,000 credits for one of those lunatics? You know as well as I do that they never talk,” he scoffed. “Oyster indeed! They will keep their mouth shut.”

She grimaced. “We got the list, didn’t we? Does that mean you won’t even make a counter-offer?”

Well, he would go low—she wanted to sell and having a First Order officer was painting a target on her back. “10,000.”

Aashum'crebuy frowned. “10,000? I would make more money if I sold his body to organ harvesters.”

“Take it or leave it.” Now she would pretend to think about it and then say something along the lines of 30,000 and he would agree—what else was there? It was easy money with little to no trouble.

She gestured to the barkeep who filled her glass to the brim. She took a sip and slammed it back on the counter, the brown liquid spilled on the already dirty surface.

“You know what? I considered my options and I realised that while my other oyster isn’t worth the effort I could simply acquire a new one.”

Poe stared blankly at her. “What?”

She whistled and the Zabrak appeared out of the dark behind him, holding a large vibro knife against Poe’s throat.

“This is no way of making business,” he pressed out. “You can’t abduct interested parties just because they don’t agree to the price!”

She patted his knee and smirked. “Oh believe me, I know the rules. But we both know that the Resistance is as good as finished. Back in the day I wouldn’t have dared to cross Organa and her ilk, but times have changed.”

“What do you want with me anyway?” Poe gulped and the sharp knife pierced his skin. “I’m not important enough to barter with.”

She shrugged. “Perhaps the Order will pay more for you than you were willing to pay for the officer… in any case, I think that I could sell a handsome specimen like you to a Hutt and fetch a nice price for your good looks.”

“You are making a mistake.”

“Nah, I don’t think so. Old Ash knows how these things work—you will get me at least 50,000 credits.” She gulped the whiskey down and said to the Zabrak: “Put him with the others. And tell Sylop to make sure that the Rebels know he disappeared _after_ he left here.”

Poe’s blaster was unceremoniously pulled from his holster. Cold fear took hold of him—he had little doubt that BB-8 would see through the obvious lie, but there was still the question how quick Aashum'crebuy would try to sell him, and where they would take him.

A sharp pain in his neck and the hissing of an injector were the last things he heard as he lost consciousness.


	2. In the Brig

Poe coughed. As he came back to his senses, he found that he was parched. Coughing again, he noticed pain in his back—something uncomfortable was pressing against his spine. With a groan, he rolled onto his side only to discover an old beer can. He gulped a few times to wet his sore throat and wiped over his face, trying to get rid of the dizzy feeling.

He felt sick and had an odd taste in his mouth. It was hot, muggy in the room—a salty, muddy smell tinged with the stink of rotten wood made it even worse.

Slowly he sat up and took in his surroundings: he was sitting on a wooden floor with empty containers and beer cans lying about. The only source of light was an old hanging lamp, painting the room with a weak radiance. Only half of the cell was illuminated, the rest cast in shadows.

But even in the darkness he could make out two people.

He squinted when the first one—a skinny Twi’lek—moved. She had yellow skin with dark marks. Her left lekku was missing—its stump bandaged with what looked like an old rag. She shifted her weight a little and hissed. “Don’t look at me, asshole!” Despite her harsh words, she hugged her knees, curling up into a ball.

“Easy,” Poe croaked with his dry throat. “I—I just need to get my bearings, okay?”

She glared at him and he gulped. He wanted to have a look at the figure laying in the back, but first things first. “Is there water?”

She nodded towards a crate near the entrance. Poe got up and found a small barrel with a couple of dented steel mugs on it. He grabbed a mug and poured clear liquid from the barrel into it. He sniffed at it and took a gulp—it was stale, warm water, with a hint of mud. He drank three mugs in quick succession and wiped over his mouth. Stars—his throat was still sore, but at least he wasn’t thirsty anymore.

The Twi’lek was following his every move with her eyes. Judging from her dirty clothes and their current predicament, her behaviour wasn’t exactly a surprise. He needed to gain her trust in order to gather intel about their situation.

Poe squinted again—the other person hadn’t moved. “Tight sleeper, huh?” he said and nodded towards the body on the floor.

She pressed her lips together and didn’t reply.

He wiped over his face— _stars_ , it was muggy in here. He took a step into the direction of the third captive and cleared his throat. “Hi.”

“He’s out,” said the Twi’lek. “They worked him in the last few days. Be careful, he’s vicious.”

Poe frowned and approached the man. The first thing he noticed was the baggy clothes that were too big for his slim frame. He stepped closer and sucked in his breath when he saw the familiar strands of ginger hair. Kriff. _Kriff_! No, the dim light was playing tricks on his eyes! Cautiously, he knelt down to brush the hair aside to reveal the man’s face when an unexpected fast jab grazed his jaw, making him fall flat on this ass. The man lunged at him and tried to punch him in the throat, but Poe managed to get his knee between them and kicked the attacker backwards. A muffled scream rang through the room and Poe jumped to his feet, fists raised. Moments went by without the other man getting up—he just lay on the dirty floor, panting.

Poe gritted his teeth and grabbed him by one of the legs. Despite his squirming, Poe managed to drag him into the light. As soon as the man’s pale face was illuminated, he knew that he had been right: before him was the infamous General Hux of the First Order.

Hux’s face was covered in bruises. One eye was swollen shut and there was blood on his grey shirt. He seemed to recognize Poe as well—he narrowed his eyes and sat up slowly. Despite the slow movements and his recent beating, he was still dangerous like a snake—ready to strike in a fraction of a second.

Hux limped back into his dark corner and sat down with a groan. Poe turned the corners of his mouth down. Of course a reptile like Hux would slither back into the darkness where he came from.

“You were right,” he said loudly, “he’s vicious.”

Stars! _Why_? Why by the Emperor’s pants hadn’t Aashum'crebuy mentioned that they had _Hux_? The architect of Starkiller for kriffs sake!

His thirst returned and he headed to the barrel to drink more water. Well, he hadn’t asked who the oyster was. Stupid mistake! He would have offered more than 10,000 for sure—not that he expected a fanatic like Hux to actually spill First Order secrets—but they had to at least try.

Alas… it was too late. They had taken him captive too and there was no chance that they would let him go—at least not back to the Resistance. He had to get out of here before they could sell him to the Order or the Hutts.

He put the mug down and inspected the rest of the cell, save the corner where Hux was sitting. There were no surprises. They were held in an old storage room from the looks of it, but there were no exits besides the main door—not even a window could be seen. The hot and humid air indicated that they were still on Rishi… perhaps on one of the thousand islands surrounding the capital city.

Well, shit.

He sat down on an empty crate. He had to focus on the positive elements—he wasn’t bound, he wasn’t hurt, and he wasn’t alone. The pirates would have to feed them at one point and bring them more water. They also seemed to grant prisoners the possibility to relieve themselves, seeing as the characteristic stench of feces and piss were absent in the room.

It wasn’t over yet. Yes, he could still trust his instincts, his skills, and of course his luck. He had survived Kylo Ren, Jakku and Crait! He would survive this as well! He rolled his shoulders back and smiled at the Twi’lek. “I’m Poe, by the way—what’s your name?”

She blinked a few times in uncertainty. “Bodkin.”

He bowed his head a little. “Pleasure meeting you, Bodkin.”

She didn’t reply. Instead, she averted her gaze as if she was tired of looking at him.

“When do they bring food and water?” Poe asked. “Is there a schedule?”

“I don’t know. They just bring food from time to time.”

“Aha—lousy service. I’ll have to add that to my list of complaints.”

Her eyes went wide. “What?”

“This is the worst vacation _ever_ ,” he continued with a smile, “I said to my travel agent that I wanted to go somewhere with beaches, sun, and good booze. But I have to say that the accommodations are severely lacking. I mean—I like rustic hotels as well as the next guy, but I think I’ll still have to talk to the manager.” He got up and sat down next to her. She scooted away a little. “But at least the company is good,” he quickly glanced at Hux. “Well… with one exception of course.”

She returned his smile, but it faded from her lips as quickly as it had appeared. But Poe still thought it was progress.

“I think I want to cut my vacation short—what about you, Bodkin?”

She chewed on her lower lip, scanning his face. There was something in her gaze, but Poe couldn’t interpret it. She sniffled. “I don’t like this vacation either.”

Poe felt the urge to put his arm around her shoulders and give a reassuring squeeze. No, that would be too much—she clearly wanted him to keep his distance. Bodkin seemed fragile, but the impression could be deceiving. Either way, it was hard to know if she was any good in a fight if it came to that. Best if he didn’t rely on her when things got hairy.

He leaned against the wall and stared at the light. Hm, it was a simple lamp made out of some kind of plastic. Not hard enough to be a good weapon… hm, weapon. His thoughts returned to Hux.

The file the Resistance had about him was incomplete. Son of Brendol Hux, one of the architects of their Stormtrooper programme. Apparently a very skilled engineer, seeing as he had been in charge of Starkiller. According to Finn he was known either as being a rabid dog or a level-headed leader, depending on who was asked.

Either way, he would know how to fight—and judging from the way he took a swing at him earlier, he was ready for one. But he was pale and skinny, so physical confrontation probably wasn’t his forte.

Poe exhaled. It didn’t matter. He couldn’t include Hux in his plans. He didn’t know a thing about Bodkin——which made it risky to rely on her. But Hux… well, he knew enough about him to keep his distance. Even if he would help him to escape, he would surely cut his throat at the first opportunity. Or alarm the First Order.

Come to think about it, how had a bunch of space pirates managed to snatch General kriffing Hux in the first place? He must have been heavily guarded after all. Poe’s curiosity was piqued. He needed to know to assess the pirate’s skills——even if it meant that he had to talk to that nasty piece of work.

With a sigh he got up and traversed the room until he stood about a meter away from Hux. Hux was pressing his hand against his side, and shot him a withering glance. From the corner of his eye he saw that Hux’s left hand was clenched so hard that his knuckles had turned white.

Poe crossed his arms. “Want to know why I’m here?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Our underworld contacts told us about an opportunity and so I came here to find out what it was about. The pirate captain wanted to sell you for 100,000 credits.” He scoffed. “I told her that I would only pay 10,000.”

The expression on Hux’s face changed from angry to contrite.

“She decided that you were bad business, Hux. So they took me instead.”

“They took you because they knew that Rebel scum doesn’t have any backbone—they knew you would cave the moment they slapped you in your pretty face.” Hux smirked—it looked almost painful judging from the way he grimaced. “Just like you did with Ren. How long did you last? A minute?”

Poe didn’t take the obvious bait. Instead he laughed. As expected, it confused Hux so much that he clenched his fist tighter. “Awww, Hugs. Thank you—I’m flattered that you think I’m pretty.”

“I didn’t—”

“Begrudging compliments are the best,” Poe went on as if Hux hadn’t spoken. He squatted down next to Hux, closer than before, but still far enough away to dodge any attacks. To his surprise, Hux pressed one of his arms against his chest as if to guard against something.

“I shouldn’t be surprised that even in this situation you only think about yourself!” hissed Hux, his voice dripping with venom. “The hero pilot of the Resistance… bent on making a mark in the galaxy even if those under his command pay the price.”

That stung—Poe could feel an icy grip around his heart. Of course Hux would pick up on his greatest regret. But he couldn’t show that even the thought of D’Qar made him sick to his stomach. The guilt was still sitting there, heavy like a stone.“Stop it, you are making me blush—pretty _and_ a hero! Awww, Hugs,” he made an effort to smile.

“Of course a troglodyte like you doesn’t know the meaning of sarcasm.”

“Oh, busting out the big words, are we? Are you too good just to call me a moron?”

Hux’s face screwed up in anger. “Get out of my face, you weakling! You son and heir of a mongrel! You worthless piece of trash—go back to your—” he broke off, pressing his lips together. “Say your piece and begone.”

His vulgar outburst surprised Poe—he had expected Hux to keep up the facade of the uptight officer. His gaze dropped to Hux’s chest. The shirt there was soaked with old and new blood. He also got a better look at Hux’s hand—his fingertips were bloody and the fingernails were missing. Poe felt a sudden shiver down his spine.

Hux had been tortured for Force knows how many days. Judging from the blood alone he was hurt and he—he shouldn’t cause him more pain. No, no that would apply to a sentient being and not to this barely human lunatic who snuffed out systems.

Poe steeled himself. It was just Hux. He wasn’t worthy of compassion, was he? “Okay, long story short. How did they capture you?”

Hux scoffed. “I decline to answer.”

“You are one of the top Generals of the Order, so there aren’t many options. Either you got reckless by visiting your lover on some ill-secured space station or you could have been—”

Hux sighed. “My shuttle was sabotaged and we crashed on the planet. The pirates were just lucky. They took my squadron by surprise and killed everybody, save for myself.” Hux licked his desiccated lips. When was the last time he had something to drink? He probably couldn’t move well enough to get to the water without pain.

Poe got up and went over to the barrel and filled one of the mugs with water. He hesitated for a moment before he returned to Hux and handed him the mug. Hux frowned, looking from the mug to Poe and back again. Slowly he lifted a hand from his injured chest and took the mug. He seemed to inspect the content of the mug for a moment before he took a gulp.

Poe went back to his old spot beside Bodkin.

Obviously Aashum’crebuy and her minions were fools if they hadn’t realised one of the most prominent First Order generals was in their custody.

He turned to Bodkin. “Now that you have heard our tales… how did you end up here?”

Her lekku twitched. “What do you think? I’m a thief obviously.”

“Forgive me, I’m an offworlder. Why is that obvious?”

She grimaced. “Because of my lekku—that’s what they do with thieves who don’t have protection.” She chewed on her lower lip and continued. “I used to be in a gang, but they got snuffed out by Kanji Club. So no protection.”

“I’m sorry,” said Poe without thinking.

“Save it,” said Bodkin in a low voice.

Poe remained silent, unsure what to say next. She was right of course—she had seen hardships in her life that he couldn’t imagine. Empty words from a stranger meant nothing to her. He decided to change the topic.

“I assume you already checked out the door lock?”

She nodded. “It’s old but sturdy—they use an eye scanner to get access. Either a U22 or U24 model. The panel is on the outside. If I had my tools I could slice it… if I could walk through walls that is.”

Well, he had assumed as much. After all, she wouldn’t be sitting in this muggy cell if she could get away that easily. “I guess you didn’t see any weaknesses when you were taken outside?”

“Nah, the guards aren’t geniuses, but one doesn’t have to be to guard unarmed prisoners. Besides… what’s the point of getting out of the cell if they are crawling all over the place?”

“Yeah, I know,” he said slowly, running his hand through his curls. They needed a plan.

***

About an hour later the door opened and two guards—a light-skinned human woman and a red-skinned Togruta male—entered. A large green female Gomorrean was standing at the door, blaster drawn.

They went over to Hux and pulled him roughly up by his arms. He groaned—judging from the expression on his face he was in pain. Poe gulped. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge in his chest. What was the matter with him? It was only Hux. From what Finn had told him, the bastard had smirked at Rose and Finn when he ordered their execution on the _Supremacy_.

After that the Togruta returned and put three pieces of bread on a crate near the exit. He turned on his heel and left. Bodkin literally jumped on her feet and grabbed the bread. She glanced shortly at Poe before throwing him a piece and retreating to the other end of the room.

Poe looked down on the bun in his hand. It was some kind of dark bread. To his surprise, it was still warm—the smell was nothing short of delicious. His stomach gave a sudden growl. Funny, he hadn’t even noticed his hunger.

He took a bite and crooked an eyebrow—it was actually pretty good. He had expected to get only sub-par food, but apparently he had underestimated the pirates. “Is the food always this good?”

She scoffed. “You think that because we’re on an Outer Rim planet we only eat pigswill? Yeah, and for dessert we eat mouldy cake.”

“I just didn’t think they cared enough about us to give us fresh food.”

“Stars, you really are an Offworlder. It’s too hot and damp on Rishi to put food aside. There are whole pirate gangs who have been wiped out by food poisoning—mostly gangs from Core Worlds, of course,” she added with a dry laugh. “Rishi people eat four times a day, and there are never left-overs.”

Poe wanted to ask why they didn’t just use conversators to preserve food, but he decided it wasn’t worth it to argue with Bodkin. After all, it meant they were getting fresh food and not some ancient, chewy steak.

He noticed that she was starting to eat the second bun. She registered his look and shrugged. “His fault if he isn’t here for lunch.”

She was right—it was only Hux. Why should he care? Besides, there were other opportunities for him to get food. Judging from his skinny frame he wasn’t much of an eater anyway. He thought about asking her to share the third bun with him, but the way she had retreated to the other side of the room to hog the food gave him pause. Clearly she wasn’t in the mood to share. And he didn’t want to antagonize her.

He ate his bun, but it was barely enough to make the hunger go away. After a while she returned to sit beside him.

“I need to use the loo,” he said. “How does it work? Do I call them or—”

“You need to wait until they bring the redhead back. Ask the guards. They usually allow it.”

“How long do they…” he paused for a moment, “... torture him?”

“Depends. At first they worked him for a couple of hours, but in the past few days they’ve only interrogated him for about an hour. I guess he’s spilling intel.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure—as far as I know he hasn’t cracked yet. But then again those First Order types are fanatics who would sooner cut their own throat than betray their insane death cult.”

She pulled her nose up. “Everybody cracks sooner or later.”

Poe recalled a chilly feeling in the back of his head—a black leather glove in front of his face. The memory alone made him uneasy and he shifted his weight a little. “Perhaps.”

The door suddenly opened and the Human and the Togruta dragged Hux in. They threw him unceremoniously onto the floor, making him hiss in pain. The sound made Poe flinch. Nevertheless he cleared his throat and spoke up: “I need to take a leak.”

“Come on then,” said the Human in a bored voice.

Poe got up and eyed the guards. At least two of them were alert. No matter—he had to have a look around first.

They led him down a hallway until they reached a rather large bathroom with five toilets inside. It was old but in good condition. Again, he was surprised that everything was quite so clean. Perhaps Bodkin was right and he was prejudiced against Outer Rim planets and their uh… criminals?

He wasn’t bothered that the guards observed him as he unzipped his fly and urinated. The Rebel bases were quite crowded too, so he was used to little privacy.

As he washed his hands at the sink, he snuck a peek at the guards in the mirror. Two of them were laughing and talking to each other, but the Gamorrean was eyeing him closely.

They led him back to the cell and Poe observed how they used the eye-scanner. He didn’t know much about security systems, but he trusted Bodkin’s expertise—the scanner looked used but it worked just fine.

The pirates shoved him more or less into the room before the door behind him banged shut. Bodkin was sitting in the same spot as before and was carving something into the wooden floor with her fingernail. She barely acknowledged Poe before resuming her carving.

Hux was standing in front of the water barrel, mug in hand. He glared at Poe and gulped down the water. With slightly trembling hands he filled the mug again. Poe couldn’t help but glance at his bloody fingertips again.

He forced himself to look away and sat down on a crate. His thoughts returned to his escape plan. He was confident that he could do it—but he wasn’t sure how to pull it off. Everything that came to mind was unrealistic.

There was of course the possibility that BB-8 would alert the Rebels, but he couldn’t wait for them to save him. Stars knew what Aashum'crebuy had up her sleeve.

From the corner of his eye he observed Hux moving slowly to his usual spot in the shadows. Come to think of it… why were they still interrogating him? They couldn’t sell his intel to the Rebels anymore. Perhaps they were looking for something else?


	3. Caught Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Dinner consisted of something that resembled stew. The Togruta brought them three bowls and placed them near the water barrel. Bodkin jumped up as soon as the door had fallen shut and grabbed one bowl. Like before, she retreated into a corner away from Poe and devoured the food.

Poe discovered that he was quite hungry and actually looking forward to the meal after the tasty lunch earlier in the day. He promptly got up and grabbed a bowl and a spare spoon.

He took a bite. There were vegetables, some unknown fruit, and meat in the stew. The dark brown sauce was a bit salty for his taste but still very good.

Poe sat down on a nearby crate and continued to eat. At least they let him keep his strength up—if an opportunity arose he could fight his way out of their lair. He wasn’t as strong as some of the other Resistance fighters, but he could hold his own.

From the corner of his eye he saw movement in Hux’s corner. He turned his attention to Hux who was grimacing as he shifted his weight, attempting to get up. “Worried for your waistline, Hugs? Or don’t you like the chef’s cuisine?”

A sheen of sweat covered Hux’s face—he looked pale… well, paler than before. Hux shot him a withering glare. “Or maybe I have the self-discipline not to gorge myself with food as soon as it’s put in front of my nose.”

“Did you hear that, Bodkin?” said Poe with a smirk. “The General thinks we have poor self-control.”

Hux was slowly standing up—it was pretty obvious that he was in pain. Poe’s smile faded a bit.

Bodkin scraped the last bite out of her bowl and crooked an eyebrow. “Really?” She went over to the crate and grabbed the last bowl of food. “I guess he’s right.” She retreated back to her corner and started to eat.

Poe’s eyes darted back to Hux, fully expecting him to snap at her. Perhaps even giving her his usual ‘the Order will crush you’ speech. To his surprise, however, he saw an expression of defeat on Hux’s usually impassive face. He simply stood there, pressing his hand against his chest, his clothes hanging from his thin frame.

Again Poe felt a twinge in his chest. Hux wasn’t supposed to look so miserable—he was supposed to puff himself up, to snarl and yell at Bodkin. But instead he just looked tired. He slowly sat back down, eyeing Bodkin with a murderous look.

“Come on, it was funny while it lasted. Don’t you see that Hugs is about to faint from hunger? He’s nothing but skin and bones,” Poe said in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Perhaps we should give him his share.”

Bodkin grimaced. “What’s with the sudden turn-around?”

Poe got up from his crate and put his hands on his hips. “It’s not fair, he’s injured and—”

“Fair?” hissed Bodkin. “Since when is life fair? In what kind of kriffing dream world do you live, offworlder?”

His first assessment had been right—she didn’t want to share and was about to get angry with him. He lifted his chin. “My galaxy is as shitty as yours, but I still want to help people. Nothing will ever change if we continue to treat people like bantha shit.”

“ _Fine_ ,” she groaned, throwing the bowl back on the crate. “Give it to your new boyfriend.”

Poe made an effort to smile. “Thank you. He’s already grumpy, and you probably don’t want to know what he’s like when he doesn’t get his dinner.”

He grabbed the bowl and brought it tentatively to Hux, who was watching his every move. Hux’s hand was curled to a fist once again.

“Here you go, Hugs.” He held the bowl out to him. Hux would probably refuse to eat, making a show of it.

To his surprise, Hux took the bowl after only a moment of hesitation. “Thank you,” he mumbled so quietly that Poe almost didn’t hear him.

This was wrong—Hux wasn’t supposed to be civil. “Uh, anything to make sure you don’t starve, Hugs. There isn’t much meat on your bones. Doesn’t the Order believe in three meals a day?”

“At least you got your priorities right, Commander,” said Hux, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Of course you Rebels would weigh a warm meal higher than being efficient.”

Poe returned to his spot on the crate and leaned against the wooden pillar behind it, pulling his knees up. “Hey, don’t talk trash about warm meals—they are the best thing after a long, hard day.”

“I imagine you had quite a few of those long, hard days in the past months,” retorted Hux as he grabbed the spoon. “I can only imagine the kind of feast you must’ve had after Ren’s interrogation. Did the banquet alleviate your guilt about spilling secrets?”

“Actually it did—because I shared a delicious meal with a very good friend—Finn or FN-2187, as you might know him. The Stormtrooper who busted me out, as you may recall.”

Hux was chewing slowly. “Don’t you get tired of getting rescued by mere chance? First FN-2187 and then the Scavenger on Crait.”

“What can I say?” Poe smirked. “I’m a lucky guy—they probably knew the galaxy would be a sad place without me in it.”

Hux scoffed. “I’m in awe that you can pilot a fighter at all. Are there cockpits large enough for you and your inflated ego?”

“Well, you would be surprised about the size of my—”

“Okay, that’s enough. I liked it more when you guys didn’t talk to each other,” sighed Bodkin.

Too bad. It was actually entertaining to talk to Hux. Huh, who would have thought… he had actually enjoyed the banter with him. It seemed that if Hux wasn’t taken by surprise, he had enough wit to keep the back-and-forth up. He chuckled. “Come on, Bodkin. Talking is always better than silence—it shows that we’re still alive.”

“I’m pretty sure that whoever finally silences you will have to kill off your mouth separately,” mumbled Hux.

The quip was so unexpected that it made Poe laugh. The flabbergasted look on Hux’s face was priceless, making Poe laugh even harder. “That’s a good one, Hugs.”

Poe wasn’t sure, but for a moment he thought that Hux blushed. He continued to eat in silence after that. What an odd guy. It seemed that there was more to Hux than he had thought.

He had accepted the food, and had even thanked him, albeit reluctantly. Even in his insults he was surprisingly civil—save for that first outburst of his. All things considered, it was possible that he could utilize Hux to orchestrate their escape. He seemed surprisingly reasonable.

He glanced again at Hux, who was still eating. The man looked exhausted. Poe took in his appearance—the bright five o’clock shadow, the baggy clothes, the bruises on his face. He didn’t look like himself at all. He looked.... lost. A General without his troops.

Yes, he could use him to escape. It was in the nature of all sentient species to be social—Poe himself was no exception and neither was Hux or Bodkin. They had a common enemy, and that made them natural allies.

Poe averted his gaze. Damn it. It made sense—it really made sense to team up with Hux. He rolled his shoulders back and lifted his chin. Beggars can’t be choosers, he reminded himself. It was easy, after all—he already had an in. Hux was injured and needed help. He would just be helpful.

He grabbed his empty bowl and crossed the room until he stood in front of Hux again. The other man looked up, frowning slightly.

“You look a little worse for wear, Hugs—hand me your empty bowl,” Poe said with his most brilliant smile.

Hux narrowed his eyes. Poe could almost see the gears turning in his mind. In the end, he handed Poe the bowl carefully, as if it would break if not handled carefully.

The door banged open and the guards entered. Hux flinched.

The Togruta pointed at Poe. “You—bring me the bowls.”

“Easy, I was just collecting them.”

“So you can speak Huttese?” asked the Gamorrean.

“A little, but I’m told that my accent is horrible.” Poe put the bowls on the crate in front of the Togruta and took a step back.

The Gamorrean barked a laugh. “That’s true!”

“I need to use the restroom,” said Hux from behind, slowly getting up.

“Make it quick, Red,” snarled the Gamorrean.

“You know that I can’t understand you,” shot back Hux. Apparently he got the gist of it as he picked up his pace.

“Stars, he’s so slow. Ash should be more careful—his value suffers if we want to sell him,” said the Human woman in a bored voice.

Poe watched them leave and exhaled. Did that mean they were about to be sold? They really needed to get out of here as fast as possible.

“I don’t get why you’re suddenly being so nice to him,” said Bodkin, resting her chin on her knees. “He’s your enemy.”

He wiped over his face and exhaled. “I meant every word that I said—I treat people the same way I want to be treated.”

“You really think there is some cosmic justice if you’re nice to a man who wants you dead?”

“Don’t let this pretty face fool you—I’m not as dense as I look. I know that there isn’t a grand reward for being a decent guy. But it helps getting through life, you know?”

“You want his help,” said Bodkin with a crooked eyebrow.

She was sharp. He really shouldn't underestimate her. “Sure—we’re in a shitty situation. If we want to get out we have to work together.”

“But he’s useless like this. He can barely walk.”

“Come on, he is a First Order drone—they are stubborn and tenacious. And he was in charge of some pretty important engineering projects. I have a feeling that he can be very useful.”

“Well, you’re right about one thing—we’re in a shitty situation.” She exhaled.

Poe went to the barrel and poured himself and Bodkin a drink. “From the sound of it, they want to sell us. Do you have any idea how long it takes to set up a deal like that?”

She took the mug he handed her and glared. “Just because I’m a thief I’m supposed to know about slave trades?”

The word ‘slave’ sent a shiver down his spine. He shook his head and sat down next to her. “No, that’s not what I meant—but perhaps you can help me figure out if this is going to happen tomorrow or in two weeks.”

“I guess it depends on who the buyer is,” replied Bodkin. “If it’s someone local they would move quickly and close the deal. If it’s some trader from another system it would certainly take a few days to finalize the trade and where to hand over the merchandise.”

She was right of course. They had to find buyers, negotiate a price, and deliver the goods. Aashum'crebuy probably already knew she was in hot water concerning his disappearance. She would probably try to find a buyer far enough away to make sure that Poe would disappear without a trace.

The question was, what would happen to Bodkin and Hux? “Do you think they’ll try to sell you too?” he asked hesitantly.

“It’s the only way they’ll make money from me.” She turned the mug in her hands, staring at the water sloshing in it. “I guess they’re not finding many buyers for a mutilated Twi’lek woman. Usually they haggle with the local brothels and cabarets, but everybody will know I’m a thief. Besides, with just one lekku my sense of balance is off, so I can’t be used as a dancer or something like that.”

Poe was about to say that he was sorry, but he caught himself at the last moment. She would’ve hated it. “I didn’t know that Twi’lek rely on their lekkus for balance.”

She reached up and put her hand on the stump of her left lekku. “We use it to express ourselves, to communicate with other Twi’leks… it also helps with our keen sense of balance and body control. It feels weird and foreign only to have one lekku, even after all these months.”

Again he had to refrain from saying that he was sorry. “Is there any way to fix it?”

“You mean if I had money and wasn’t held captive by pirates?” she scoffed. “No, there are few Twi’lek with money and influence. So the med tech companies don’t invest much in Twi’lek research. Humans are a much bigger market.”

“That sucks.”

She got up and put her empty mug back next to the barrel. “Do you have money?”

“Not really, I have a few credits, but—”

“You want to get out of here, right? I’ll only help you if you pay me.”

He stared at her. “Are you serious? Why in the Galaxy do you want money to get out of this cell?”

She pulled her nose up. “Because I’m in deep shit here and I’m in deep shit out there. I need money to get away from here and start something new on a different planet. I have been a slave before. I know I can take it for a year or so before I escape. But a pretty boy like you? You wouldn’t last a month.”

He had a feeling she was bluffing, but then again, he couldn’t be sure. “I don’t have any money with me. They took it.”

“Give me your word that you’ll pay me 3,000 credits once we’re out of here, and I’ll help you.”

“My word is enough for you?”

Her lekku twitched and she smacked her lips. “I don’t trust people, but I trust how they see themselves. You are one of these idealistic Rebels, are you not? Surely you see yourself as a man of your word?”

He sighed. “Alright, I promise to pay you 3,000 credits when we get out of here.”

“‘ _When_ we get out of here’?” she smiled. “You really are an optimist, aren’t you?”

He was about to reply when the door opened again and Hux shuffled in. As he stood in the pool of light, Poe noticed just how beat up he really was. There was a cut on his lip and his swollen eye was deep purple.

He got up, drawing the immediate attention of Hux and the guards. The Gamorrean put her hand on her blaster.

He lifted his hands in the air. “Relax, just—just one question?”

“Make it quick,” snarled the Togruta.

Poe gestured towards Hux. “You said that the red one has less value if he’s in bad shape. So why not give him a medpac to make sure his wounds don’t get infected?”

“Old Ash didn’t say anything about a medpack,” retorted the Human woman.

“Maybe not, but where’s the harm? It’s an investment for the future.”

“We don’t even know if we can sell him.”

Poe gave them a lopsided grin. “How many Humans have you seen with real ginger hair? They are very rare. Of course you can sell him.”

The Gamorrean laughed. “You are a sly one. We’ll think about it.” With these words they exited, and the door was closed once again.

Hux frowned. “What were you talking about?” He took a step back from Poe and retreated to the dim part of the cell once again.

“I asked them to get you a medpack so that they can sell you for a higher price, Hugs.”

For a moment it seemed as if Hux might lunge at him; he lowered his shoulders and widened his stance. “You are lying! What were you talking about? Why were you pointing at me?”

The door opened again and the Gamorrean threw a small package inside. Before Poe could utter a word she was gone. Hux watched his every move as he crouched down and took the package. Bodkin was drawing closer too to get a look at it.

Poe unwrapped the dark-green cloth and showed the bacta gel and the bandages to Hux. “See?”

“Are you trying to blackmail me with the medpack?” Hux scoffed. “Well, I won’t tell you anything!”

Poe gave him a sad smile. “Come on, Hugs. I wouldn’t do that.”

“He is telling the truth,” said Bodkin, while putting her hands on her hips. “You look like shit and if we want to escape we might need you, Red.”

Hux pressed his lips together and looked from Bodkin to Poe as if he wasn’t sure what to do next. The paranoid bastard was probably thinking of ways to double-cross them. Well, he needed Hux to be useful and less on the fence.

“Let’s fix up your handsome face, Hugs,” he said and gave him a small smile. “You might need two eyes for our escape.”

Hux frowned. No doubt he was weighing the pros and cons of letting some filthy Rebel touch him, patching him up even. But it made sense—and if Hux wasn’t completely deluded, he wouldn’t refuse the offer. It was a miracle that his wounds hadn’t gotten inflamed in this environment until now.

Finally, Hux lifted his chin and gulped before he stepped forward, back into the light. It suddenly occurred to Poe that he’d be the one tending to his wounds—it had been his idea of course, but the prospect of actually touching Hux was making him uneasy.

Anything to get out of here. “You can sit here, where I can get a good look at your eye,” he said and gestured toward the crate next to him. Hux looked very strained as he sat down.

Poe grabbed the small tube of bacta gel and pressed some of it on his fingers. Hux tilted his head slightly upwards and looked at Poe as he leaned down and applied the gel to his swollen eye.

Hux flinched a bit when his fingertips made contact with his eyebrow. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Hux had once again clenched his hands to fists. He carefully brushed over the bruise, his gaze suddenly caught on Hux’s healthy eye. To his surprise, Hux’s eyes weren’t blue, but a pale green.

The second thing he noticed was how young he looked without the slicked back hair. In that moment he was nothing like the angular, smooth General… he looked soft, and if he didn’t know better, he would have thought that he looked scared. No, not scared—vulnerable.

“There,” he said, mostly to shake off that awkward silence that had stretched out. “The eye should be fine tomorrow. Let’s take care of your chest next.”

The tips of Hux’s ears turned pink as he slowly lifted the too large shirt. Poe noticed that he was even thinner than he had thought. On his chest, there were several old bruises and two wounds that were barely healed. One looked like an electroshock injury, while the other looked as if someone had tried to sharpen their knife on his ribs. Even looking at the mess was painful—Hux really must have been in agony.

“Stars,” Poe whispered before he could stop himself.

“G—get on with it, Commander,” said Hux a little too loudly.

Poe pulled himself together. It was only Hux after all. He pressed out some more gel and applied it on the knife wound. Hux flinched again and hissed in pain. Without thinking, Poe reached out and put his left hand on Hux’s other side to stabilize him. His pale skin was surprisingly warm and soft.

He also put some gel on the other wound and made sure to do it with care. After having his torso bandaged, Hux lowered his shirt again and seemed to relax a bit. There was an unreadable expression on his face when Poe took his hand and smeared bacta on his bloody fingers before putting plasters around the fingertips.

Finally, Poe screwed the tube shut and grinned at Hux. “See? That wasn’t so bad, was it? You were touched by Rebel scum and lived to see another day.”

“It seems that you’re a better nurse than pilot—otherwise I would have exploded like every aircraft you ever steered.”

“My quota improved a lot since I tried to fly one of your rust buckets.”

Hux’s eyebrow rose. “Rust bucket? I seem to recall that you lot fly outdated T-70 X-Wings.” He pulled the corner of his mouth up. “I take it back—you have to be an exceptional pilot just to get the T-70 started with those clogged-up fuel-injector chips.”

Poe gasped in mock indignation. “How. Dare. You. My _Iron Butterfly_ is as graceful as the newest fighter! I don’t need all the fancy comfort installed in your fighters!” He watched as Hux perked up.

“Fancy comfort as in working back-up thrusters? You’re right of course—landing safely is highly overrated.” He looked even more relaxed than before.

“Wait—you call your fighter _Iron Butterfly_?” interjected Bodkin.

He flashed her a grin. “Yep.”

“I—why?” she asked with visible confusion. “Isn’t a fighter supposed to wear an, I don’t know, more impressive name?”

Poe shrugged. “I thought about naming it _Supremacy_ —you know, because of my supreme piloting skills. But it turned out that it was already taken.”

“I wouldn’t name my ship that,” said Bodkin with a chuckle.

Poe sat down next to Hux, hoping to keep him engaged. They were all finally talking, and he didn’t want him to slip back into his shadowy corner. He noticed of course that Hux was scooting away a bit as if he was uncomfortable being in his proximity.

“What would you call your fighter?” he asked Bodkin.

She rubbed her chin. “I don’t know… if it’s a fighter, I would name it… _Numa_. It means ‘sister’ in Twi’leki.”

“I thought you would choose a more bellicose name,” said Hux in a quiet voice.

Huh, he can actually carry a conversation, thought Poe. And the way he had asked—not in an oily, arrogant tone, but as if he was genuinely interested.

“I want it to have a Twi’leki name because if I had a ship of my own I would fly home, to Ryloth. And since my Twi’leki sucks ass I can’t come up with something like _Sharp Talon_ or _Blade of Ryloth_.”

“I take it that you didn’t grow up on Ryloth?” asked Poe.

She averted her gaze and started to carve something onto her crate with her fingernails. “Nah, I grew up on Rishi. I just figured that Ryloth must be better than this shithole.” She cleared her throat. “Uh, I guess you must have named quite a few ships, Red?”

“The name is _Hux_ and I actually never named a ship.”

Poe laughed. “Why not? I thought you are big and important in the Order.”

“I had better things to do than come up with names for cruisers. But if I had to name one, I would call it _Perseverance_.”

Interesting—he had thought that Hux would go for something more aggressive. “Aw, that’s a boring name, Hugs.”

“But a fitting one,” he replied. “And still better than _Tin Moth_.”

Poe almost fell from his crate when he realised that Hux was actually teasing him. At least he looked amused. “You wound me, Hux—it’s _Iron Butterfly_!”

There was an expression on Hux’s face that Poe couldn’t read. A fraction of a second later it was gone, replaced with Hux’s usual impassive face. Alas, he had put his mask back in place. He pressed his lips together and avoided Poe’s gaze.


	4. Stemming the Tide

Poe yawned and shifted back and forth without finding a position he was comfortable in. Stars, it had been a long day. He wanted to sleep, but it eluded him without a mattress. How did Bodkin and Hux manage sleep like this? He glanced at Bodkin—she was curled up in a ball, fast asleep. He craned his neck to see Hux, but he was shrouded in darkness in his corner.

He sighed and curled up too. Perhaps it would help.

It wasn’t really comfortable, but his exhaustion won out. His eyes grew heavy and soon sleep and dreams overtook him. He was back on the D’Qar base, looking for BB-8. Instinctually, he knew that he was dreaming, but he still wanted to find it; they had to fly away before the First Order arrived. Poe ran through the base, grabbing people by their shoulders, shaking them, yelling at them. No sound came out of his mouth despite his desperate screams. They couldn’t hear him! Why couldn’t they hear him?

Suddenly he was in the hangar. He recognized it immediately—it was the one they had used to stage the D’Qar assault. Paige was standing next to a crate with bombs, counting them carefully. Poe’s heart beat nearly out of his chest. He took her hand and dragged her away. She didn’t have to die! Rose didn’t have to lose her sister!

His hand slipped, and when he turned around, he saw nobody behind him—Paige had vanished into thin air. No, not thin air… there was a pile of ash sitting on the dirty hangar floor. Poe knelt down, tears streaming from his eyes. “I’m sorry, so sorry!”

He realised in that moment that he could talk again and jerked his head up. Perhaps he could save the others now that they could hear him again! He blinked, and the scenery changed yet again. This time the hangar was empty, save for his _Iron Butterfly._ Gone, they were all gone… Poe buried his face in his hands, sobbing. He didn't want to be alone, not again.

He heard a beep and looked up. “BB-8?” he asked. The hangar was still empty. He got up and ran down the corridor until he reached a white room. BB was nowhere to be seen, but Finn sat on a medbed, wearing his Stormtrooper armour. 

“Finn! You need to get out of here! Please!”

Finn looked at him, frowning.“It’s just a dream, Poe.”

“Yeah, I know—but still… have you seen BB-8?”

Suddenly they were at the spaceport on Rishi. Finn was still sitting on a medbed, but now he was holding an ignited blue lightsaber.

“I haven’t seen BB,” replied Finn. “I need to train.” With that, he got up and crossed the large platform, disappearing into the darkness surrounding the landing pad.

Poe was just about to continue looking for BB-8 when he heard something. With a jerk, he awoke—his heart was pounding and he was drenched in sweat. Finally, his eyes found the source of the noise: Hux was pouring himself a mug of water.

Hux glanced his way before gulping down the water and slowly shuffling back to his spot. Poe rubbed over his eyes before rising to get himself a drink of water. Upon returning to his spot, he found that sleep still eluded him. He tossed and turned for a few minutes before finally giving up.

Bodkin was sleeping soundly, her deep breaths somewhat calming. The relative silence made him nervous though. He listened for sounds of Hux, but heard no signs of sleep. Perhaps he was awake? Well, since he had nothing better to do...

He rose once again and headed to the crate nearest Hux’s corner. “Hugs?” he whispered. “Are you awake?”

Clothes rustled. “I’m afraid so.”

“How long have you been here?”

He could just make out Hux’s figure in the dim light. Hux shrugged. “I assume about seven days.”

Poe wiped over his face and yawned. “Why do they keep interrogating you? I thought they settled on just selling us all.”

Hux tilted his head. “I don’t know.”

Poe pulled a leg up and rested his arm on it, studying Hux’s impassive face—at least as good as he could see it in the dim light. “Alright, then tell me what they’re asking you.”

“The straight approach doesn’t suit you, Commander Dameron,” huffed Hux.

“But it suits you, doesn’t it?” Poe shot back with a smile. “You First Order guys like it clear-cut and simple.”

That seemed to catch Hux off guard. He blinked and leaned back, putting distance between himself and Poe. “Since I assume that you will not cease until I answer you… they’re asking me about the First Order treasury.”

Of all the things Poe had expected, this was not it. “I didn’t know that you even had a treasury.”

Hux sneered. “And you think I’m simple. Of course we do—how else do we finance our war?”

“I thought you just robbed every planet you come across.”

“We gather resources, yes. But we lack the industry to refine the ore or the fuel. The Hutts can provide all that for the right price, as well as Canto Bight.”

Poe leaned forward—his curiosity was piqued. It seemed that Aashum'crebuy was no fool after all. “Let me guess… you refuse to tell them a thing because your programming forbids it.”

Hux crooked an eyebrow. “I don’t know whether to be flattered or startled that you actually think that anyone could withstand torture this long without giving up secrets.”

“What? But—”

“I don’t know details about the treasury ship. To be honest, I never cared much about—” he broke off and pressed his lips together.

Poe exhaled and leaned back. What Hux had said was interesting in more ways than one. Firstly, there was of course the fact that the Order had a treasury ship that was apparently responsible for all fiscal tasks, thus making it a vital target. Secondly, if Hux had already cracked as he claimed… why in the Galaxy was all he could offer the pirates old intel?

Something didn’t fit. Interesting. But first things first—even if Hux spilled his guts, it wasn’t much use to him if he was shipped off to Hutta.

His sight fell on Hux’s bandaged fingers. “How are you, by the way?”

Hux frowned as if he didn’t understand the question.

“Is the bacta helping?” Poe added.

“It’s—it’s better.” Hux pulled his legs up and hid his hands behind them. He seemed tense.

Paranoid bastard, thought Poe. Paranoid and mysterious.

He gave him a little smile. “Alright, I can have a look later when I change the bandages.” He got up from the crate and yawned. “I should try to get some sleep.”

Poe shuffled over to his spot and laid down. Ashe closed his eyes to settle in, he noticed that Bodkin’s deep breaths had ceased. She was too quiet to be sleeping. Likely she had been listening, and had heard all about the treasury ship.

Poe shifted a little and soon drifted off.

***

The following two days were quite slow. It seemed as if the pirates had lost interest in interrogating Hux. They only made appearances at mealtimes. As of yet, Poe hadn’t found a weakness in the cell. There was little else to do but talk and bicker.

“Stars, I feel sticky from all the dirt and sweat,” moaned Poe, as he swept over his face.

“I thought that’s the normal state for Rebels,” retorted Hux drily.

Poe laughed—the sound seemed to surprise Hux, his eyes going wide.

“At least we live properly instead of being holed up in sterile starships. No wonder you guys are all pasty.”

“How can you still bicker in this heat?” asked Bodkin as she drank yet another mug full of water. “It’s too hot to even move, ugh.”

“How does the indigenous population cope with the warm temperatures?” asked Hux.

She poured some water into her hollow hand and splashed it on her face. “Most just sleep until the evening. I used to go to the beach or to the cantina—the only place with proper air conditioning.”

Poe licked his lips. “I’d kill for a cold lemonade with crushed ice.”

“Ugh, stop it,” groaned Bodkin.

“On Yavin we had this lemon tree in our yard,” continued Poe. “We’d pick a few lemons and make fresh lemonade.”

“I could go for an iced tea, myself,” said Bodkin and splashed more water onto her face.

Hux sat up a little straighter. “ _Iced_ Tea?”

Poe sighed. “Here we go again.”

“I told you before and I’m telling you again—tea is meant to be enjoyed while hot. Everything else is—”

“Fine!” said Bodkin. She turned to Poe. “I’ll take your lemonade, but I’d better get a little umbrella with it.”

Poe laughed. “Alright, when we get out of here, I’ll make some lemonade just like back home. And yes, I’ll add a little umbrella for you. And I’ll make sure not to put too much sugar in yours, Hugs.”

Hux frowned, looking confused. “What?”

Poe shrugged. “You said yesterday that you like bitter tea, so I concluded that you don’t like sweet things.”

Hux gulped and looked oddly dejected. He looked down and took a small splinter from a crate and started to play with it. Poe had noticed that Hux sometimes looked from Bodkin to Poe with the same blank expression on his face. He looked… defeated.

No, not defeated. If he didn’t know any better, he would think that he was sad. But this was Hux—that wasn’t really possible, was it?

Hux remained unusually silent for the next few hours, just sitting in his corner while Poe and Bodkin talked about their favorite drinks and their favorite past times. The man’s silence started to bother him, and he didn’t even know why.

“Hey Hugs, you’re awfully quiet—don’t you have a hobby of some kind? Come on, you can tell us—what is it? Do you kick puppies?”

Hux raised his head. “I don’t have any so-called hobbies. We in the Order had better things to do in our work-free time.”

“Yeah yeah, but come on. Even a drone like you has to do something from time to time besides work.” Poe realised that he was actually curious. Up until now he hadn’t even thought about the possibility that somebody like Hux was anything but a droid working day in and day out.

Finn had told him that Stormtroopers had little free time. They used to spend it playing Pazaak or organising running competitions. Once, Finn had run until almost collapsing to get rid of the unease that took hold of him after a training session.

Hux shifted a little. “In the evenings, I sometimes worked on engineering projects that weren’t top priority.”

“Stars! That’s so boring!” exclaimed Bodkin.

Hux glared at Bodkin but didn’t say anything. Poe had expected him to snap at her, but he remained silent. “What kind of projects?”

Hux grimaced. “If you’re looking for First Order secrets, I’m sorry to disappoint. I was working on self-repairing lightning rods, and trying to isolate repair droids against humid weather.”

Interesting—despite his suspicious nature, he revealed a bit about his projects. His plan to get Hux to open up seemed to be working. “Why in the Galaxy would you work on that? Are you planning your next vacation on Kamino?”

Hux hesitated for a moment before he answered. “I’m from Arkanis. Due to the nearly constant rainstorms, it’s difficult to keep the maintenance up.”

“Arkanis is your home planet?” asked Bodkin, a gleam in her eyes. “What kind of planet is it? I mean… it’s rainy, I got that, but what else?”

Hux shrugged. “It’s otherwise unremarkable. If it’s not pouring the rain down, there is usually a light drizzle. It’s covered mostly in rainforest. After the end of the Empire the economy was in decline. There were quite a few military installations, but they were ultimately abandoned. From what I have read, the people have turned to hunting the forest animals for planetary export.”

“What do you mean? Haven’t you been there recently?” she inquired.

“No, I haven’t been to Arkanis for more than twenty five years,” admitted Hux. He scoffed. “Honestly, I don’t even know why I’m developing tech for a planet that I will likely never visit again. Perhaps that’s the definition of a hobby—it’s something without direct use. So maybe I have a hobby after all.”

Bodkin stared into her mug, a thoughtful look on her face. “Don’t you want to go home from time to time?”

Hux wiped over his face. “I think ‘home’ is a sentimental construct. I don’t think it’s a place— it’s the longing for something imaginary. So no, there is no need for me to go back to Arkanis.”

“I think you’re wrong,” said Bodkin, “everybody needs a home, a place where they belong. I think it’s ingrained in every living being.”

Poe mused over what he had heard. He had never really considered it, but he started to believe that they were both right. The fact that ‘home’ was an imaginary concept didn’t have to mean that it was worthless.

“W—where are you from, Commander?”

Hux’s question took him by surprise. “Uh, I’m from Yavin 4. The southern continent, where there are more people than trees.”

“That’s another jungle planet, right?” asked Bodkin.

Poe got up and went to her, taking another mug and filling it with water. “Only the northern continent. The south is mostly farmland, but I guess it used to have more forest before terraforming.” He took a gulp of the warm water.

To his surprise, the cell door opened and the guards stepped inside. The Gamorrean was armed, as was his habit.

“Is it dinner time already?” asked Bodkin while rubbing her hands together.

The Togruta shook his head. “You reek of sweat and dirt. The boss wants you clean and proper. It’s time for a bath.”

Poe felt his stomach drop at this announcement. Since when did the pirates care about their hygiene? It must be time to sell them! He mastered a smile. “Finally! I was about to write a letter of complaint to the management! This is the worst vacation I ever had.”

The Gamorrean laughed. “You’re funny and pretty. I like you.”

The Togruta rolled his eyes. “Please!” Then he looked at the prisoners. “It’s kriffing boiling, so we’re taking you all at once to the beach so that you can clean up. I’ve got a date at the cantina, so make it snappy.”

“Wait, why the beach? The shower—” began Bodkin, but she was interrupted by the Togruta.

“Because some _idiots_ ,” spat the Togruta, while glaring at the Human woman, “used up all the water. It will take ages for the boiler to fill up again with filtered sweetwater.”

Shit—this might be their only chance to escape before being sold off to some lewd hutt—if they were lucky. “It’s alright—anything to cool down a bit,” he said quickly.

The Togruta grimaced. “What the kriff are you going on about? It’s not for your comfort, and you certainly don’t have a choice, you stupid airhead.”

Poe just gave him his friendliest grin before glancing over his shoulder to Hux.

He was tense, his hands curled up to fists. “What is going on, Commander?”

“We are going to the beach, Hugs. Our hosts don’t want us stinking up their luxurious basement anymore.”

“What?”

“Come on, it’s our chance to escape this sauna.” Poe knew that he was being completely obvious with his meaning, but he didn’t care. The guards no doubt knew they wanted to escape, so what was the point in trying to speak in codes?

Hux rose to his feet and joined Bodkin and Poe. The guards stepped back and the Togruta took the lead with the woman and the Gamorrean trailing behind.

They walked through the narrow hallway until reaching an exit Poe hadn’t seen before. The scent of salty air and wet sand reached his nose, and he couldn’t help but take a deep breath of the fresh air. It was a nice change after the stale air of the cell.

He slowed his step at the entrance when he caught sight of the pristine beach in front of the pirate’s lair—light white sand covered the ground, and calm turquoise water stretched as far as the eye could see. Tall palms and bushes of pink flowers surrounded the small bay.

“Stars,” whispered Poe.

“It’s nothing special, you know,” said Bodkin behind him. “This is just what Rishi looks like.”

“Remind me again why the people on this planet don’t make a living out of this paradise?”

“Pirates.”

“Ah yes.”

“You done gawking?” groaned the Togruta. “The sun is too hot to be messing about. Get your ass moving so we can get out of this heat.”

He was right of course—the view was great, but the heat was almost unbearable.

The Togruta pushed Hux. “Go make yourself presentable. You look like shit.”

Hux scoffed. “How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t understand Huttese.”

“They want us to take a bath in the sea because the shower doesn’t work,” explained Poe. “And since our fine hosts apparently won’t provide us with towels, we have to make do with what we have.” With these words, he walked towards the bay, shucking off his sweat-drenched shirt.

Next were his boots. As he settled on the sand to remove them, a warm wind swept in. It felt amazing, despite everything. Stars, how he had missed wind and fresh air!

Bodkin sighed and joined Poe. Only Hux hesitated, eyeing the beach and his fellow prisoners with something akin to suspicion.

Poe glanced over his shoulder as he took his socks off. “Come on, Hugs. You should wash all that dirt and grime off your handsome face.” If they waded deep enough into the bay, the guards wouldn’t hear them planning their escape.

“Salt water is hardly a good way to wash oneself,” complained Hux. “But I assume that a proper bath is something you Rebels don’t know much about.” He stepped closer and hesitantly started to unbutton his shirt.

Poe wiggled out of his pants and threw everything in a pile. Bodkin was already ahead of him, wading stark naked into the water, carrying along her underwear. Good idea—in this heat his boxers would dry in no time.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Hux glancing at him before quickly averting his gaze. So nakedness was uncomfortable for him? Interesting—he hadn’t looked at Bodkin like that. Stripping his boxers off, he turned to face Hux. “I hope you don’t get a sunburn, Hugs. When was the last time your pale face saw a ray of sunshine?”

As expected, Hux blushed. He had already taken his shirt off and was folding it neatly. Poe had thought that he was skinny, but seeing him in broad daylight revealed that he was not underfed, but simply thin with lean muscles. Hux pressed his lips together and remained silent.

Poe was surprised when no witty come-back was hurled his way. Apparently he really didn’t like nudity. Only then did he notice the old scars that laced Hux’s back—some looked like lines, while others were messier.

He realized that he was staring, but he couldn’t help when his gaze dropped to Hux’s navel and the trail of ginger hair that swept below.

Poe tore his eyes away and waded into the warm water. It didn’t provide much cooling, but it still felt amazing. Bodkin was busy washing herself nearby. Poe rinsed his face and noticed that the guards were keeping a tight watch, moving with them along the beach, trying to stay in the shade of the palms. Of course they were all armed.

He swam a few meters and began washing his boxers, taking in their immediate surroundings. So far, an opening hadn’t presented itself. They couldn’t just swim away—if the guards weren’t completely inept they could shoot them easily.

Sloshing sounds made him turn his gaze back to the beach. Hux was wading into the water, his white bandages barely distinguishable from his pale skin. But that wasn’t what caught his attention—it was the dick nestled in that fascinating patch of ginger hair.

Poe casually looked away only to find himself glancing at it a second time. He gulped and averted his gaze, busying himself with the boxers again.

Bodkin came closer and pretended to show Poe a yellow shell she had apparently found. “They know what they’re doing,” she said.

Poe laughed as if she had said something funny. “Yeah, they certainly aren’t amateurs. Only Nautolans would be quick enough to swim faster than their blaster bolts.” He handed the shell to Hux who was reluctantly coming closer to them.

“It’s hopeless without weapons,” agreed Hux. “The palms might provide some cover, but I doubt we can make it past the patrols they have most certainly deployed around the base.” He gave the shell back to Bodkin and started to wash his ginger tresses.

“Now what?” asked Bodkin. “Should we go for it and hope for the best?”

Poe let himself float a bit, making slow movements with his arms to keep him above the water. “It’s too reckless.”

“For once we agree, Commander. But I think we can also agree that time is running out—it seems they have found a buyer. Why else would they want us to clean ourselves?”

Poe exhaled. “Well, I knew it was a long shot, but I kind of hoped that we would get luck—”

Before he could finish the thought, the pirate base was engulfed in a huge explosion, the shockwave pushing them underwater. When Poe resurfaced gasping for air he could hear screams and blasterfire.

“What the—”

Bodkin grabbed his arm. “The guards! They’ve left!”

He snapped his head around to confirm what she had told him: the guards had indeed disappeared, either to fight whoever was attacking the pirate gang, or to save their own skin.

“Kriff, we need to—” he didn’t even have to say it. Hux and Bodkin were already running towards the beach as fast as the water permitted.

They grabbed their clothes and made a mad dash into the forest, Hux taking the lead—stars, how was he so fast? They ran for minutes without pause, branches slapping against Poe’s face and his naked limbs. The soles of his feet started to ache from the grass, stones, and roots they were running on.

Poe had no idea how long they had been racing—all he knew was that he had stitches in his side and sweat burning into his eyes. He and Bodkin nearly collapsed when they finally caught up with Hux. They all found shelter behind a rather large bush.

It took a full minute of coughing and panting before Poe was able to mutter a sentence: “What—what was that?”

Bodkin spit out. “I bet it was a rival gang trying to take out competition.”

Hux ran his hand through his hair. “Could it have been the Rebels trying to break you out, Commander?”

Poe coughed. “I don’t know, but we are sitting ducks out here. And we still don’t have a weapon.” With trembling hands, he started to dress himself. Putting his socks on his bleeding, aching feet made him flinch, but anything was better than running naked and shoeless through the jungle.

Bodkin and Hux followed suit, and when they were all dressed, Hux poked his head around the bush. “I don’t see anybody,” he half-whispered.

Faint blaster noises could be heard in the distance. Poe wiped over his face, trying to gather his thoughts. Hux had suggested that Rebels had tried to free him, but he wasn’t so sure. The Resistance wouldn’t attack a structure without doing the proper recon first—, especially if it was a search-and-rescue-mission.

“They’re busy fighting each other,” Poe said and added after a pause: “We should get away before they find us.”

“We should try to find freshwater,” said Hux. “We need water, and we’ll likely find a settlement nearby.”

Bodkin nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

“Do you have knowledge of the local wildlife? Is it better to move during the daylight or the night?”

She grimaced. “I’ve lived in cities—but I know that there are Jungle Wampas, Kark’jya, Skar’kla, and other nasty things lurking about. No idea if they’re nocturnal or not.”

“Well, daylight would certainly give us an advantage—at least we could see the creatures coming, and where we’re stepping,” said Hux dryly.

“I’m a bit surprised you don’t have night vision, Hugs. I thought living in shadowy, dimly-lit starships would make you an expert at that.”

“Unfortunately not, Commander—but on the other hand, I can spot an imbecile a mile away.” He scanned Poe from head to toe with a sarcastic half-smile on his lips. “It’s a gift and a curse.”

“Can we _please_ skip the banter and get on with the escape?” whispered Bodkin.

“Alright, alright,” said Poe.


	5. Making up Leeway

They crept through the underwood for the better part of an afternoon when they stumbled upon a small river. Poe groaned in relief, sinking down to his knees. He drank so much water that his stomach began to ache.

Bodkin wrenched off her boots and socks and dangled her bruised feet into the water. “Stars, everything hurts.”

Hux quenched his thirst too before sinking down upon a small rock near the others. He checked his bandages and unwrapped the ones on his fingers to see how his injuries were healing.

A ray of sunshine fell through the canopy and illuminated Hux, pronouncing the bright red hair that was falling in strands around his face. Poe noticed that his light stubble complimented his sharp cheekbones. Huh, would you look at that—Hux looked like a human being and not some greasy drone in a rectangular black uniform.

No, he shouldn’t deceive himself. Hux wasn’t a human being—he couldn’t be after all that he’d done. Well, it didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. He had to deliver him to the Resistance. Stars knew what kind of secrets he had in that ginger head of his.

Poe followed Bodkin’s example and put his feet into the cool water. He closed his eyes for a moment and relished the feel of it.

Upon opening them again, he couldn’t help but glance at Hux. He was still examining his fingers, moving slowly to his chest. How in the Galaxy was he supposed to rein in a man this dangerous? He didn’t have a weapon or any leverage besides a common goal of escaping their captors.

He turned his attention to Bodkin, who was now washing her lekku. Would she help him? Could she help him? He let himself fall onto his back and stared up at the canopy. He had promised her payment, but that also meant that she—no, he was looking at things the wrong way.

Poe wasn’t a schemer and a planner—he improvised and played things by ear. Those were his strengths. He shouldn’t worry about delivering Hux to the Rebels—he had to focus first on escaping the jungle and the pirates.

He shot up, suddenly reinvigorated. He could trust himself. He could do it. After all, he had managed to get Bodkin and Hux to work together. He just had to keep going, trusting his instincts.

Poe pulled his feet out of the water and slowly approached Hux. “Want me to have a look at your injuries, Hugs?”

Hux blinked, apparently surprised at the offer. If Poe didn’t know better, he might have thought that he looked relieved. “I—yes…”

“How are your fingers? I hope they don’t rot off—how else would you write your meticulous reports about how much you hate me?”

Hux showed him his hand. Poe saw that thanks to the bacta, the fingernails were steadily growing back, but the fingertips were still red and irritated. “There is such a thing as voice command on most pads. You might be surprised by all the tech out there in the galaxy that doesn’t involve explosives and blowing things up.”

Poe gave him a lopsided grin. “What is the point of tech if there isn’t an explosion sooner or later?” Then in a quieter voice. “Let’s have a look at your chest and ribs.”

Hux slipped out of his shirt, allowing the other man access. Poe carefully unwrapped the bandage from around his chest. Tension was radiating off of Hux all the while—at least he didn’t flinch when the last piece of gauze came off. The wound was covered in scabs, but didn’t look inflamed. “I’m sorry to say this, Hugs… but I think you’ll survive.”

“And here I hoped I wouldn’t have to endure your endless blathering anymore, Com—”

Suddenly the carcass of a colourful feathered bird was tossed on the ground in front of them. Poe and Hux flinched.

“While you guys were flirting, I found supper—or rather, I crept up on it and snapped its neck” said Bodkin with a cocky grin. “You’re welcome.”

Hux squinted. “What _is_ that thing?”

“It’s an Orokeet—the islands are full of them. I was lucky enough to find one without a mother hen around.”

Poe stared at the ten pound bird. “Wait, this is a youngling? How large—”

“Let’s just say that they are known for flogging a grown man to death, if they don’t peck out his eyes first with their 30 centimeter long beak.” She put her hands on her hips. “I did my part, now it’s up to you guys to build a fire and cook that thing.”

***

Thirty minutes and a lot of bickering later, Hux and Poe had managed to get a fire going using some twigs and dry leaves. Poe watched the Orokeet roasting over the fire, turning it from time to time.

They had decided to build a small fire lest they be noticed by unwanted search parties. Bodkin had set off to scout out a safe place to spend the night, leaving behind the two men.

The sun was setting in the western sky, painting everything in red-orange light. Hux sat across from Poe and poked the fire with a stick. They had both been silent for a while now.

“I didn’t think you’d be so good with this survival stuff, Hugs,” Poe said when the silence became too heavy for his taste.

Hux scoffed. “Right.”

“I mean it—did you learn this at some drone academy back at the hive?”

“Of course we had survival classes in the academy,” sighed Hux. “Why do you ask?”

Poe shrugged. “I know that the Stormtroopers do. I just wasn’t sure about the officers.” Finn had told him as much, but he was curious about Hux's reaction. There was something about him that was difficult to decipher. He had known how to build the fire—just like Poe had—but he had been clumsy when he piled up the small branches to get the fire going. And there had been a hesitation when he put the dry leaves on, like he was solving a complicated equation.

He had expected cold efficiency, but not this.

“How many survival classes did you attend, Commander?”

Poe blinked and raised his gaze from the fire up to Hux’s face. This ought to be interesting—Hux was rarely asking questions of his own. “Only three—all of them when I was training to become a pilot in the New Republic fleet.”

Hux frowned. “Why didn’t you have survival classes as a minor?”

“Why should anyone have survival classes as a kid?” replied Poe with a grin. “But since you’re asking… I don’t know if camping with one’s parents counts.”

Hux looked taken aback. “Camping?”

“Yeah, you know—going on a hike, pitching a tent somewhere in the forest. That kind of stuff.” He rotated the Orokeet a bit so that it wouldn’t burn. “I loved it, to be honest. My dad would climb a tree and tie up a rope so that I could climb it too, even though I was just a little boy. Making it to the top—that moment when the air felt more fresh than down below—is something I’ll never forget.” He inhaled. Memories of watching over the forest resurfaced before his inner eye. Stars, he hadn’t thought about it in ages.

“My mother is a great hunter,” he continued. “While we were up in the trees playing, she was off shooting dinner. She showed me how to gut jungle rabbits.”

Hux stared into the fire, looking somewhat downcast to Poe’s eye. “You were quite proficient preparing the Orokeet. I assume she showed you how to gut poultry too?”

Poe nodded. “It’s of course slightly different from planet to planet and from animal to animal, but the basics are pretty much the same.”

Hux looked pensive as he continued to poke the fire with his stick. Somehow he seemed less rigid than before, smaller almost. The only sound that could be heard was the crackling of the small fire.

Poe cleared his throat. “What about you, Hugs? Didn’t your mother—”

In a flash, Hux straightened and hissed: “Don’t you dare!” Gone was the impression that he was low-spirited—his eyes were hard and the scowl was back on his face.

Poe’s eyes went wide. “What—”

“Everything is a game to you, isn’t it? Everything you say and do is just a set-up for another joke, another insult!”

“Woah man, keep it down! I don’t know what you’re talking about!” said Poe in a muted voice.

Hux laughed—it was a joyless, curt noise. “Still keeping it up, huh? Well, do your worst, Commander. I have heard it all—bastard, ugly runt, weak-willed mongrel, disgusting accident!”

Poe could feel the blood drain from his face when he heard Hux’s hate-filled words. It was a speech filled with so much self-hatred that it seemed to make the air thinner and colder. He felt a lump in his throat. “Hux—”

“Repulsive pasty—”

Poe grabbed his hand. “Hux,” he said again in a calm voice.

He wasn’t sure if it was the surprise touch or the soft tone, but Hux broke off and seemed to snap out of it. He stared down at their hands before pulling his back quickly, as if burned.

“Listen to me—I don’t know what you’re talking about. I really don’t.”

Hux pressed his lips together and stared down at his hand. “You have read my file, Commander. You know exactly what this is about.”

“Yes, I have read your file. But there wasn’t a mention of you being an illegitimate child—at least that’s what I got from that rant of yours. I mean, in this day and age, who cares about such things? It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Of course it wouldn’t mean anything to you, Commander,” replied Hux in a strained voice. “You have everything—you are a strong, confident, handsome man; you’re not a skinny, weak ‘drone’ who is nothing without a ‘hive.’” He scoffed. “It’s maybe nothing to you, but it’s my reality. All I’ll ever be. There I said it, just like you wanted.” He ran his hand through his hair, defeated.

The lump in Poe’s throat seemed to grow. To hear the insults and slurs he had casually thrown at Hux made him feel slightly ill. He wanted to tell him that he hadn’t meant it, but that would have been a lie.

He felt ashamed of the slurs he had used, calling him a mindless First Order drone. Finn had been in a similar situation as Hux, and yet he would have never said—no, he couldn’t even think it. And then he had disparagingly called Hux a droid. Stars, one of his most loyal friends was an astromech droid!

For the first time he understood what Rose had meant when she had told him that they wouldn’t win the war by fighting what they hated, but saving what they loved. He wouldn’t win this war if he kept denying Hux his humanity. He would end up just like his mother, a hardened war veteran looking for enemies where there were none. Hating the Empire even years after the war had ended.

He gulped, but the lump in his throat wouldn’t go away. He should say something, tell Hux that… what? That he was sorry? That he didn’t think he was an ‘ugly runt’? What was he supposed to say? Poe opened his mouth, licked his lips and said: “You almost had me going there for a moment, Hugs. But I know you better than that—you are a merciless General of the First Order. You’re just trying to appeal to my soft Rebel heart to—to manipulate me into giving you a hug.” The joke fell flat, but Poe didn’t know how to navigate this situation. Best to deflect.

Hux stared at him blankly.

“Very cunning, General,” Poe continued the lie. Hux could now pretend that he hadn’t been compromised by a cheap yo mamma joke.

Hux shot up suddenly. “If you’ll excuse me, Commander,” he said stiffly and disappeared into the jungle in the direction Bodkin had headed.

Poe exhaled. Damn it, what now? Why hadn’t Hux just played their usual game? It would have been so much easier if he had just continued to banter with him.

He stared into the fire. Of kriffing course Hux wouldn’t use jokes to deflect uncomfortable emotions—that was his own go-to move. Why by the Emperors shorts did he always, kriffing always, have to make stupid jokes? He _knew_ that it was silly and immature, but he just couldn’t help himself.

He sighed and checked the Orokeet. It was nearly done.

***

Bodkin and Hux returned shortly after. The sun had already set and it was getting dark.

“Surprisingly, I didn’t find a cave with soft beds in it,” Bodkin said resignedly as she sat down by the fire. “I suggest we take cover under one of these bushes here instead of stumbling around in the darkness.”

“Sounds like a plan,” said Poe. He lifted the stick with the Orokeet up. “Who wants the first bite?”

“I do,” Bodkin exclaimed as she ripped a leg off the bird. “I’ve eaten these things before, so I’d be the best judge of taste.”

“You’re just starving, right?”

She bit off a huge bite. “Of course,” she said with a full mouth. “Okay, it’s done properly but the taste is… well, there is a reason why it’s not a local speciality.”

Poe presented the bird to Hux, who tore off the other leg. He cautiously bit into the meat.

Poe tried to rip off a piece of the breast without making a mess, but of course he failed. He cursed under his breath as he blew on the hot meat. Finally, he took a bite and understood immediately what Bodkin had meant: the meat was tender, but the taste was something like a combination of fish and sawdust. They ate in silence until there was nothing left but bones.

After dinner, Poe buried the ashes and bones and headed to the nearby river to wash his greasy, sooty hands.

Bodkin and Hux followed. As they were washing up, Poe noticed Bodkin unwrapping the rag from her cut off lekku. He was curious about the injury she had sustained.

After carefully washing the cloth, she hung it from a nearby branch to let it dry. It was difficult to see her injury properly in the darkness, but it seemed to be a messy cut.

“See you in the morning,” she whispered and disappeared under the big leaves.

Poe thought about saying something to Hux, but nothing came to mind. Resignedly, he crept under another bush and heard Hux doing the same.

***

At the crack of dawn, Poe was awakened by the nearby sounds of snapping twigs. His pulse quickened and slowed as he realized it was only Hux walking towards the river. Poe groaned as he left his hiding place to join him.

He was tempted to lighten the mood with friendly banter, but after yesterday’s debacle he settled for a simple “Morning, Hugs”.

“Good morning, Commander.” Hux washed his hands and face. He was less successful in his attempts to slick back his hair in the typical General Hux fashion. The ginger strands kept falling back into his face.

Poe began his own morning routine. He felt uneasy—the silence was uncomfortable. “So… how old were you when you attended your first survival course?”

“I was six,” replied Hux after a moment of hesitation.

“I didn’t know that the Order started that early.”

Hux pressed his lips together in response. Poe had once again put his foot in his mouth.

They heard leaves rustle behind them and moments later Bodkin appeared. “Stars, can’t you two keep your flirting down?”

Poe noticed how Hux blushed in response and couldn’t help but laugh. Now this was territory he was familiar with. It was much easier to navigate than Hux’s terse silence. “I’m sorry, but Hugs here is such a tease.”

He turned his gaze back to Bodkin and couldn’t help but notice the ugly scar tissue on her uncovered lekku stump. She noticed his glance and paled, touching the remains of her lekku self consciously.

She turned to the branch next to her sleeping place and froze when she saw that the bandage she had draped there was gone. She looked around frantically, but it was nowhere to be seen. “I—have either of you seen my headband?”

She was clearly distressed. Poe and Hux aided in her search, but it was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps the wind had carried it off, or an animal had taken it.

After minutes of fruitless searching, Poe tried to give her his best reassuring smile. “It’s too hot for it anyway, Bodkin.”

She turned an icy glare at him. Stars, this really wasn’t his morning!

To his surprise, Hux stepped forward and offered her a piece of bright beige fabric; it looked like the bandage he had worn around his chest. “I don’t need it anymore—and I washed it yesterday in the river. It’s not clean enough for medical standards but—” he trailed off.

Bodkin took it. “Thanks.” She sat down and quickly wrapped the bandage around her lekku. As soon as she had it covered, her former spunky self reappeared. “So, since we’re all still breathing, I take it that the pirates are too busy to look for us.”

“I concur, Miss Bodkin. A simple infrared scan from high altitude would have sufficed to locate us. But we aren’t safe until we have escaped this arboreous nightmare.”

“Only you would think of these dreamlike islands and beaches as nightmares, Hugs.”

Hux crooked an eyebrow. “We’ll see if you still think this to be some vacation when a giant bird cracks your skull open with its 30 centimeter beak.”

Finally they were back to their usual banter! “The pain inflicted on my head can’t hurt worse than to actually hear the word ‘arboreous’ in a spoken sentence.”

Hux’s frown faded. “Some of us have actually read more in their life than the instruction manual of a X-Wing,” he said slowly.

Poe laughed. “Aww Hugs, you actually think that I can read—I’m flattered. That’s certainly a step up from being ‘Rebel Scum’.”

“Alright alright, let’s head up the stream to find a piece of civilization in this damn forest,” said Bodkin and turned to leave.

***

Poe had no idea how long they had been walking, but when his stomach started to rumble, he assumed it was close to lunchtime. To his dismay, they hadn’t spotted any Orokeets or edible fruits.

In the late afternoon, the sky darkened and rumbling could be heard in the distance.

“You are about to feel at home, Hugs,” he mumbled when the first heavy raindrops started to fall.

“Anything is better than this infernal heat.”

Bodkin sighed. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Red.”

Seconds later, water fell from the sky as if they were standing under a waterfall. Their clothes that had been glued to their bodies from sweat were now positively dripping from the downpour.

“I stand corrected,” said Hux as the water pooled on the ground, soaking their boots and socks in a matter of moments.

“How long does the rain usually last?” asked Poe as he almost slipped on the wet ground.

“Depends—minutes or hours,” replied Bodkin as she helped Poe steady himself.

An hour later, the rain was still falling, having turned the forest ground into a swamp. Poe could barely see two meters ahead of him. He almost bumped into Bodkin who had taken the lead.

“What—” he began, but then saw the reason for her abrupt stop. Standing before them was a two meter tall Rishii native. The avian stood under a tree with large leaves and was completely dry—at least judging from its dry brown feathers that covered its chest and its equally dry deep red pants.

“Hi there,” said Bodkin.

The Rishii tilted its head a little. “Hi there.”

“Do you understand Basic? Or are you… you know… just mimicking me?”

“Of course I understand Basic,” the Rishii answered in a deep female voice. “Its grammar is simple enough compared to Ortholean.”

Poe smiled. “We’re lost. Is there some kind of settlement nearby?”

“Our nest is only a wingspan away from here,” she replied cheerfully. “If you want, I can accompany you there once the rain has stopped.”

Poe nodded. “That would be great! I’m Poe, by the way. What’s your name?”

“I’m Brakau—a pleasure making your acquaintance, Poe.”

Bodkin exhaled. “Thank the stars! I’m Bodkin, and the grumpy guy behind us is Red.”

“Yes, I can see that.”

“No, I mean that’s what we call him.”

To Poe’s surprise, Hux didn’t speak up.

“Uh, do you know how long the rain will last?” asked Bodkin and started to rub her arms.

“Sure do, it will be over… now.” As if on cue, the rain stopped.

Poe and Hux stared towards the sky, mouths agape.

“Aw, you offworlders are really cute!” exclaimed Brakau. “I always forget that your senses are, well, a bit dull.”

“You can sense the weather?” asked Hux.

The towering Rishii leaned down. “Ohhh, I haven’t heard this accent before. How wonderful!”

She tilted her head again a bit. “‘You can sense the weather?’” she mimicked a perfect Imperial accent.

Hux frowned. “I wasn’t aware of your species' unique talents, Miss Brakau.”

“‘I wasn’t aware of your species’ unique talents, Miss Brakau.’”

Bodkin sighed. “I’m sorry, Brakau, but we are exhausted. Would you mind leading us to your village?”

Brakau straightened her back. “Ah, apologies. Of course—and we’ll have a feast in your honour!”

She stretched out her winged arm and bowed. “This way.”

Bodkin glanced at Poe and nodded towards Hux. He understood her meaning; Hux looked tense and his frown had deepened.

He let the Rishii and Bodkin go on ahead and let them get out of earshot.

“Relax Hux—they’re not going to eat us alive. Rishii are famous for their hospitality.”

Hux’s lips were blue and he shivered despite the rising heat. “We can’t trust them. Why would they welcome complete strangers they met in the forest into their home? It makes no sense.”

Poe patted Hux’s shoulder. “It’s their way, and we need a ride to get out of here—and a feast sounds like a great idea. Don’t tell me that you aren’t hungry?”

“I can’t tell if you’re really this naive or if you’re trying to make one of your silly jokes. Either option doesn’t bode well for you, Commander.”

Poe grabbed him by the upper arm, taking note once again of Hux’s lean yet firm muscles. He also noticed how cold the man was. “Come on, you know that we have no other choice.”

Hux sighed. “I’m aware.” He locked his gaze on Brakau. “I take it that the Rishii are linguistic enthusiasts?”

“Yeah, they are famous for being able to mimic all spoken languages. They are also very curious, as you may have noticed.”

“Are they warriors?”

“I think so, but I have never heard about an unprovoked attack. They are very tolerant towards offworlders.”

“Sounds too good to be true.”

“Well, they are rather averse to technology because they don’t see the point in it.”

“Now I know that they’re insane.”

The jest came so unexpectedly that Poe laughed loudly. “Will you look at that? You actually have a sense of humour.”


	6. Full Fathom Five

The village consisted of dozens of small huts with wooden walls and straw roofs. The Rishii had used the same colours they painted their beaks with to decorate their dwellings—red, blue, and green symbols adorned the huts. Colourful feathers and plants gave the surrounding trees a friendly look.

Bodkin, Hux, and Poe stayed close together when the Rishii began to gather around the new arrivals. The avians craned their necks to see them and some actually flew upwards to sit on thick tree branches to get a better look.

“Would you like to visit the sweat lodge before dinner?” asked Brakau.

“Stars, yes!” replied Bodkin before Poe could even open his mouth.

The Rishii surrounding them laughed amiably. A short Rishii with blue feathers jumped up and down. “We built a new one just recently!”

Hux leaned closer to Poe and whispered: “Their friendliness is uncanny.”

“Shut up and enjoy it,” whispered Poe back. “Thank you for your kind invitation,” he said loudly.

“Perfect! I’ll show you the way while the others prepare the feast!” Brakau addressed the others: “We got a new accent, everyone!”

The crowd erupted in cheers. Poe had to admit that it was getting a little creepy, but he kept the smile plastered on his face.

They followed Brakau to a hut in the middle of the village. Smoke was already billowing out of its chimney.

“You may undress here, and inside you’ll find the hot water. If the vat is empty, we ask that you please refill it for the next bird going in.” She watched them undress, clearly fascinated by their lack of feathers.

Poe was too tired and exhausted to mind the audience they had as he stripped down to nothing. Bodkin shared his sentiment and unceremoniously pulled the wet clothes from her scrawny body. Hux, on the other hand, made an effort to undress near the entrance of the hut, at least somewhat shielded by the shadow of the building. 

Poe couldn’t help but steal a few short glances at him.

They wasted no time in entering the lodge and promptly collapsed on the wooden benches inside. “This is the shit,” groaned Bodkin. “Somebody fetch me some hot water so I don’t have to move from this spot for the next half hour.”

Hux rubbed his hands together. “I didn’t think a tropical island could get this cold.”

“I bet it’ll be boiling hot again in a couple of hours,” replied Poe. 

“This is exactly why I never leave the city with it’s nice temperature controlled Cantinas.”

Hux went to the vat and ladled hot water to wash his legs and arms. He suddenly paused in his washing, seeming to notice Poe’s stare—with pressed lips and red-tipped ears, he continued his task.

Poe averted his gaze. What was the matter with him? He hadn’t even realised that his eyes were glued on Hux. But truth be told, there was something about Hux that made it difficult to look away. He found that he liked watching him, liked his lean—stop, no, he shouldn’t even be going there! He wasn’t supposed to even _like_ the guy.

Next up was Bodkin. As she took her turn at the hot water, Hux returned and settled on a bench far away from Poe.

Now that he had a moment to think, Poe reflected on how exactly Hux had ended up with the pirates, and why he had only offered outdated intel. Should he head over to the other bench and ask him about it? On the other hand, he didn’t want to annoy the man too much. That would get him nowhere.

Perhaps his eyes often sought out Hux because he was fascinated by all the secrets that were buried inside that ginger head of his. Kriff, even thinking about his ginger hair reminded him of that pleasant scene on the beach. Argh! Why were his thoughts going there?

“Your turn,” said Bodkin, nudging him out of his thoughts. “Unless you’ve grown attached to the jungle dirt on your face?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, of course—we’re the guests of honour at a veritable _feast_ afterall!” He went to the vat, thoughts still circling around Hux on the beach. He had been visibly uncomfortable. Perhaps he didn’t like being looked at by other men? That must be it… yes, a guy like Hux must be a prude, feeling uneasy in the presence of male nudity. Perhaps he even was a homophobe?

Poe liked that thought. It left a sour taste in his mouth, but it was exactly what he needed after realising that he liked to watch Hux a little too much. He took the wooden ladle and poured the hot water over his head, rubbing his face. Well, he would show him, whispered a tiny voice in his mind. What did he care if Hux didn’t like it?

He turned to face Hux and poured another ladle over his chest, offering Hux a full view of his chest, his abs and of course his dick. “Hey Hugs, why are you sulking in that corner? I thought you weren’t afraid of us anymore.”

Hux crossed his legs and leaned back against the wall. “I assure you that it’s not fear that’s driving me away from you, Commander. It’s the fact that I value my privacy as much as that of others.”

“I’m with Red on this one, Poe,” interjected Bodkin. “What is it with men having to parade around their nudity like it’s something special?”

Poe laughed. “Alright, alright. I’ll try to be more decent.” He turned so that he wasn’t on full display anymore. “I just wanted to tease Hux a little.”

Hux grimaced but didn’t deign to answer.

***

When they exited the lodge some time later, they found their clothes drying on a nearby tree. Poe quickly grabbed them—to his relief they were mostly dry already. He brought everything back to Bodkin and Hux so they could all dress.

Poe grimaced a little when he had to slip back on his wet boots.

Just then, Brakau landed with a loud thud right next to the group, giving Poe the startle of his life. “Stars!” he cried out, clutching his chest.

“Apologizes, my friends. I just wanted to inform you that the guest houses are ready.”

“Guest houses?” asked Hux with narrowed eyes.

“Yes, of course. Follow me!” Brakau led them to three small huts situated on a small hill in the center of the village. “These huts normally serve us as secondary houses for the mating season, but they’ll do just as well for guest accommodations.”

Poe snuck a peek into one and saw that it was furnished with a large bed, along with small tables and large chairs. There was even a private bathroom. His curiosity was also piqued concerning the mating season, but now was not the time for indelicate questions. “Thank you again for your hospitality,” he said instead.

“Yes, many thanks,” said Bodkin. “But, uh, listen. We need to get back into the city as soon as possible and—”

“—and you want to know when the next artificial flight is taking place?” asked Brakau in a friendly voice. “I’m afraid that the next shuttle from the island traders is scheduled for next week.”

Poe felt the colour draining from his face. “Next week? What about communication?”

Brakau tilted her head a little. “If you’re referring to technological communication, I’m sorry to disappoint you. We have no need of it, so we don’t have the technology.”

“How unfortunate,” mumbled Hux.

“Ah, there is that wonderful accent again! Red, would you allow me to reproduce your accent at the dinner table this evening?”

Hux’s eartips turned pink. “Ah, yes of course. It is but a small token for your generosity.”

The Rishii bent down and brought its beak close to Hux’s ear. “And do please tell us if our curiosity becomes bothersome. I promise we won’t be offended.”

Hux’s eyes went wide. “Yes, of course. I—I just never considered my accent to be anything special.”

***

The feast was more than Poe had expected. The Rishii had spared no expense. There were various local specialities like fish with coconut sauce, grilled red vegetables of some kind, and a side dish with Grophet filet and rice. For dessert, they served fermented fruits that were both sour and sweet to the taste.

One bite of a delicious looking red fruit told Poe that it was hard liquor and not some mild dessert drink. He was tipsy after just having the one.

It didn’t stop Bodkin from devouring four in quick order. Poe tried to warn her, but she just waved him off.

“Do you know how long it’s been since I got drunk? It’s been _ages—_ and frankly, I kind of need this after recent events.”

Poe lifted his hands placatingly. “Okay, suit yourself—but don’t puke in my hut later.”

“There is no danger of that happening,” she snorted. “Neither Red nor you are interested in what I have to offer, am I right?”

Poe blinked. “What?”

“Come on, you guys flirt incessantly. And the way you stared at each other in the sweat lodge… but hey, why not?” She ate another fruit and wiped over her mouth. “Everything is allowed in love and war or something like that.”

He really shouldn’t delve into the topic, not when he had something to drink… to eat… whatever. “It’s not like that,” he cautiously said, eyeing Hux who was sitting on the other side of the table, chatting with Rishii.

He seemed to be enjoying the attention he was receiving. From what Poe had observed, Hux had eaten one fruit and his hand gestures had become more animated as the evening wore on. There was a flush on his cheeks, and for a moment he almost smiled when Brakau asked him to recite a poem.

“You are doing it again,” whispered Bodkin. “You stare at him.”

Poe made an effort to focus his attention on her. “Okay, I admit that he’s—”

“Anyone with two eyes can see that he is handsome, you dork. Just tell me if your flirting is real or just a scheme to capture him for your Rebel friends.”

“I’m not flirting with him—not really, I mean. I’m just doing it to annoy him. He’s just a stuck up First Order drone,” the word escaped him before he could stop himself. “No, not a—”

“I get it, you despise the guy—you said so before.”

Poe wanted to contradict her, but even in his tipsy state he realised that he shouldn’t. Wait a minute, why did he want to contradict her? Since when did he not despise Hux?

“Nexu got your tongue?”

“You’re wrong. He’s clearly not interested in men. Didn’t you see the expression of disgust on his face earlier?”

Bodkin ate another fruit, her speech was slightly slurred now. “I pegged you for an adventurer, Poe. Are you scared of a challenge?”

“I think you should really stop eating those fruits, Bodkin,” said Poe. “You’ll be sick tomorrow.”

“I bet you’re all talk and no action. You flirt all the time, but you never follow through. I bet you couldn’t get him into your bed even if you tried!”

That made Poe laugh and he patted her hand. “Oh Bodkin, a gentleman never tells.” He made a dramatic pause. “But if he would, he would tell you that no challenge is too great.”

“Ten credits.”

“What?”

“Ten credits that you can’t do it.”

Poe paused for a moment, then said in a low voice. “Don’t be silly. I’m just joking. Betting on that kind of thing is… it’s not something I do.”

“Of course you wouldn’t,” she slurred. “You’re a nice guy, Poe.”

He smiled. “And you’re nice too, Bodkin.”

“So nice,” she repeated and grabbed another fruit.

He softly put his hand over hers. “How about a walk? The village looks great with all the lights the Rishii have put up.”

“S’alright, I just need to—” she pushed her chair back abruptly and disappeared in the direction of the loo.

Poe turned his attention back to his dessert and shoved the remains of the fruit in his mouth. His thoughts began churning again. Should they have warned the Rishii about the pirates? In retrospect, it felt like an oversight. On the other hand, he had seen guards with bows and arrows patrolling over the village. From what he had gathered, there was a reason why pirates and gangs left them alone.

Still, it wasn’t right. He saw Brakau sitting a few chairs away and decided to approach her.

“Brakau, thank you for your hospitality—there is something I would like to discuss.”

Brakau tilted her head a little and smiled. “Of course.” She got up and they walked a few meters away from the revelry, to the edge of the village square. 

“You are aware of the pirates, yes?”

She nodded. “Of course—there are four different gangs on this island.”

“Well, the reason we were lost in the jungle was because we escaped them. They wanted to sell us as slaves and we got away. Maybe they’re looking for us as we speak. I’m sorry that I didn’t mention it before…”

“It’s alright, Red already told me.”

Poe’s eyes went wide. “Wha—when?”

“On the way to the village. ‘I need to bring to your attention the circumstances that led to our encounter, Miss Brakau.’” As before, the Imperial accent was immaculate.

Poe felt heat crawl up his cheeks. He was the one who was supposed to do the right thing, but Hux had beat him to it by _hours_. “I—I’m sorry. I should have told you right away.”

“Don’t fret over it. We had a few skirmishes with the pirates years ago.” She pranced a little, her brown feathers making her look tall. “Most offworlders think that we’re primitive ‘bird-people’,” she scoffed. “But we have our ways, and if push comes to shove, we’ll defend ourselves and our nests. They soon learned that it wasn’t wise to attack tribes with aerial attack capabilities. Since then, things have calmed down.”

A weight lifted off his chest. “Thank you.”

Brakau patted his shoulder with her winged arm. It was surprisingly heavy and firm. “You’re safe here, but I advise you to be careful nonetheless. The pirates wouldn’t dare touch a Rishii, but I honestly doubt that we would go to war if they captured you.”

“Uh, that’s—that’s very candid. But you’re right of course. Why would you?” A small part of Poe wanted to tell her about the Resistance’s cause, but just when he was about to open his mouth, another Rishii appeared.

“Brakau, do you mind giving another impression of the new accent? Your red guest has retreated for the night it seems.”

Poe jerked his head around and didn’t see Hux or Bodkin around the fire. Come to think of it, where was Bodkin? “If you’ll excuse me,” he said, and went to the loos behind the village square. He saw from far away that the stalls were all empty.

He returned to the fire and cleared his throat when a blue-feathered Rishii—what was his name again?—crossed his path. “Uh, hey, Naru. Have you seen Bodkin?”

He staggered a bit, having apparently enjoyed the festivities as well. “Of course I have, Commander,” he said in an Imperial accent. “She wasn’t well and Red offered to take her home.”

What was Hux up to? He’d better investigate and check up on Bodkin. “Thanks, Naru.”

He quickened his step as he hurried towards the guest houses. Hux stepped out of Bodkin’s hutt just as he arrived.

He frowned. “Commander?”

“I heard that Bodkin was unwell,” Poe said, quickly brushing past Hux into the hut. In the bright light of the moon he saw that Bodkin was laying fully dressed in her bed, snoring loudly. Her boots had been placed next to her bed in perfect symmetry. 

Poe closed the door quietly, feeling oddly guilty about having doubted Hux’s intentions. He turned around and faced him. “Thanks.”

“It seemed appropriate to remove Miss Bodkin in her intoxicated state. We wouldn’t want her making a scene in front of our hosts,” said Hux with a crooked eyebrow.

“I told her to stop eating those fruits,” Poe sighed. “But she’s too pig-headed to listen.”

“Indeed.”

“Hard to believe that we were in a cell just a day ago, huh?” Poe gave him a lopsided grin. He was still feeling the effects of the fruit. “You seemed to enjoy yourself tonight, not that I should be surprised—judging from all the speeches you’ve held, you must love the sound of your own voice.”

Hux lifted his chin. “It seemed impolite to decline our hosts' requests.”

Stars! Why couldn’t he just give a straight answer? “You mean to tell me that you didn’t enjoy them fawning over your silly Imperial accent? Come on. I even saw you smile.”

“I won’t dignify that with an answer,” replied Hux curtly.

Poe threw his hands up in the air. “Okay, how about this—you answer my question and you can ask me anything, and I’ll answer truthfully.”

Hux sighed. “What’s the point? Is this some long-winded ploy to make fun of me yet again?”

Poe stepped closer, noticing that Hux was quite tall. It was funny—he seemed to discover something new about the man every day. He wasn’t sure if it was the booze or the darkness, but he was inclined to tell the truth. “No, there is something about you. I don’t know… you are not how I thought you would be. I’m simply curious.”

“I don’t understand. How am I supposed to be?”

“You are _not_ supposed to be polite or considerate of others, but you keep surprising me Hugs. And you told Brakau about the pirates even though she could have turned us away.”

Hux exhaled, seeming exhausted. “It made sense from a military standpoint to inform the Rishii about a potential threat. And it served no purpose to deny Miss Bodkin a piece of cloth.”

“See? That was easy. We can just chat for a bit.”

Hux’s scowl faded and suddenly he looked younger than he probably was. “What do you want to know?”

“I heard you recite a poem for the Rishii earlier—what was it about?”

Hux grabbed his left elbow with his right arm and shrugged. “It’s just—”

“Care to recite it once again? I couldn’t hear it properly.”

Hux hesitated for a moment, avoiding Poe’s eyes.

“Full fathom five thy father lies;  
Of his bones are coral made;   
Those are pearls that were his eyes:   
Nothing of him that doth fade,   
But doth suffer a sea-change   
Into something rich and strange.”

Hux grimaced. “It’s a fragment of a poem I read a long time ago in the Academy. The Order prides itself on naval traditions and encourages its members to study the ancient seafarers. As for your question, I think it’s about death or even heroic death.”

Poe crossed his arms and leaned against the hut. “Didn’t think you’d subscribe to the whole heroic act.”

“I don’t. There is nothing heroic about war and survival. Either you live or die, everything else is irrelevant.”

“I disagree—what good is it to live or to die if there is no sense in it? But I’m with you on the ‘hero’ stuff—it’s just something to justify losses.” Poe looked up at the pale moon. He had resented the term ever since D’Qar. He had thought he was some kind of hero while Vice Admiral Holdo was an old relic who didn’t know how to fight. But in the end, she had been the hero and he—

“It’s my turn,” said Hux, interrupting his dark thoughts. “Why—why did you hold me when you applied bacta to my chest wound?” He blushed and glanced nervously around.

Poe blinked and was taken aback by the sudden change in topic. “Uh, what?”

Hux shifted his weight from one leg to another. “Back when you requested the medpack from the pirates. You applied the gel with your right hand and you held me with your left—” He trailed off, searching Poe’s face for some unnamed thing.

“I’m sorry, I don’t recall _holding_ you… I mean, I remember helping you dress the wounds—”

“Of course not,” said Hux quickly. “I—I apologize for my inane babbling, Commander. It seems Miss Bodkin isn’t the only one who enjoyed too much of the fermented fruits.”

Poe smiled, feeling suddenly insecure. “Wait, you still remember such a detail?” If he didn’t know better he would have thought that Hux—Poe couldn’t finish the thought. A shiver ran down his spine. His mouth was suddenly dry. No. Not this, this wasn’t possible. Quick—he had to say _something_. “Did it annoy you so much that—”

“I’m not annoyed,” snapped Hux.

Poe gulped and continued to talk to drown out his own thoughts. “You sound annoyed to me. Come on, Hugs; you should be honored that the galaxy’s best pilot lowered himself to patch up your pasty face.”

Hux became very still. The angry look on his face faded to an indifferent mask. Then he simply turned and left, heading in the direction of the banquet. 

Poe was momentarily stunned. He gulped as realization set in, his heart beating in his chest.

 _Kriff_ . How could he have been so blind? Bodkin had been right—Hux was attracted to him. Why else would he remember something so trivial? Why else would he react the way he had? _Kriff_.

Poe wiped over his face. Stars! It was complete lunacy of course—and the worst part? He couldn’t decide if he was more excited or shocked. Hux wasn’t a droid or a mere drone. He—he was something entirely different. There was a softness to him, and when the sun lit up his hair—stop. He wasn’t even going to entertain this madness.

He would treat this as what it really was: a misunderstanding between two tipsy men. Why else would Hux think it a good idea to bring up some random kindness? Yes, that had to be it.

Poe exhaled. Best if he acted like this had never happened. He would go back to the feast, eat some more dessert, and then turn in for the night. Tomorrow he would probably laugh the whole thing off.


	7. Ships Passing in the Night

To say that Poe had a restless night would have been a grave understatement. He made sure to check up on Bodkin throughout the night, fearing that she might choke on her vomit. He’d return to his hut, only to thrash around uselessly on the too soft bed. Yes, it had to be the bed’s fault that he couldn’t find a comfortable position. It had nothing to do with recurring thoughts and memories of a certain lean-muscled ginger.

He stared up at the dark ceiling of the hut, rubbing over his tired eyes. His friends had always told him that he had a penchant for choosing the difficult ones—Pero, General Ah-Mo, that cute captain from the Ground Forces, and of course Finn… no, Finn wasn’t like the others. He wasn’t difficult—he was just in love with Rey. But the others… 

Giving up on sleep, he sat up and started to rub his stiff neck.

Poe knew that he had a type: tall, handsome men with sharp cheekbones, ideally hard to get. And as he had recently discovered, he was quite fascinated by ginger hair. Half of his nightly thoughts revolved around the thin line of reddish hair leading down from a pale, flat stomach into a waistband.

Before he could stop himself, he recalled images of what was under that waistband. The absurdity of the situation hit him suddenly—here he was, awake and aroused at an ungodly hour, thinking about General kriffing Hux’s dick.

He sighed. It had been too long since he had last had sex. The way he saw it, he had two options: give in and jerk off to something he would be eternally ashamed of, or try his best to sleep it off and forget this temporary insanity.

In the end, he didn’t even make a conscious decision. His hand moved of its own accord, disappearing under his boxers. Poe bit his lower lip as he began to touch himself. He moved slowly at first, increasing the pace gradually as he pictured Hux’s cock and how it would look fully erect. He imagined how it would feel in his palm and how Hux would react. The man would no doubt be indignant at first, gradually succumbing to the pleasure. Poe wanted desperately to see the moment his stoic facade slipped away. The mere thought made him pant. He gripped his dick tighter and jerked faster, chasing that sweet relief until he came with a satisfied grunt.

He lay there with ragged breath, staring up at the ceiling. Maybe—maybe he had gotten it out of his system.

He got up and washed himself in the bathroom before returning to the bed. Minutes later he was asleep.

***

Bodkin was still asleep when Poe emerged from his hut and went in search of breakfast. It was rather late in the morning, but the Rishii were kind enough to provide him with flatbread and some kind of vegetable paste. There was also tea on offer—to Poe’s regret they hadn't any caf.

He briefly wondered where Hux was, but he didn’t dare ask. It was best to just play it cool and forget about the events of the previous night. Nothing could be easier.

Bodkin eventually joined him and was monosyllabic until she had eaten a piece of bread and had downed a mug of tea.

“I told you so,” said Poe with a smirk.

“Shut up,” she groaned.

“At least you didn’t puke in my hut.”

“I know it’s hard for you but please,  _ please  _ don’t talk.”

Poe chuckled and ate another piece of bread. 

They sat there for a while in companionable silence. Poe considered their next steps as he munched away on his food. From what Brakau had told him last night, they were quite safe in the village. What they needed to do now was to determine when exactly the trader would arrive and where he would take off. It was their only option to get off the island, according to their hosts. If he were a pirate, he would try to snatch the escapees as they were boarding the trader’s shuttle—provided they were still interested in selling them. Perhaps they had cut their losses and decided not to pursue them.

As Poe was mulling things over, Hux joined them at the table. He seemed to be his usual cool self, sitting at the table with a straight back. It was odd to think that it was the same man who—no, not going there.

“Good morning, Commander, Miss Bodkin.”

Bodkin just groaned and buried her face in her hands.

Poe made an effort to grin at him. “Morning Hugs.”

“Seeing as we need more information about our situation, I got up early—unlike some individuals who shall remain nameless—and did the necessary legwork.”

“Please tell me that you found lemons, Hugs—I would give my right arm for a cold lemonade with crushed ice!”

“Don’t you two start!!” Bodkin lowered her hands and rubbed her temples. “Okay, what did you find out?”

“The trader usually arrives on Centaxday, roughly around 12:15. The Rishii have a stache of old tech, mostly leftovers from visitors and the trader. Unfortunately it’s not enough to build a communication device or a weapon.”

Poe shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He hadn’t thought about the possibility that Hux could rig something out of some spare parts. Was he telling the truth? Or had he already contacted the Order with some makeshift com? “I’m kind of disappointed that you didn’t manage to make a fully functioning transmitter out of a twig and a cable, Hugs.”

Hux crooked his eyebrow. “If I had I wouldn’t have come back here to tell you about it, now would I?”

Poe relaxed a little. He was right, of course. If he had found a way, he wouldn’t have bothered to come back to talk to them—the Order would have shown up in minutes and taken them faster than he could say ‘Hugs’.

“I talked to Brakau yesterday. Apparently we’re safe in the village. The pirates won’t mess with the Rishii,” said Poe.

“Of course they won’t, you dork. You think I would get drunk if there was even the slightest chance that we were in danger?” snarled Bodkin.

“The Commander hadn’t considered it until yesterday evening, Miss Bodkin,” Hux said in a condescending voice. “I think he relies more on his luck than actual plans and strategies.”

“Yeah, seems that way.”

Poe jokingly gasped at them. “What is happening? Since when are you two teaming up?”

“Another cup of tea, Miss Bodkin?”

“Why, yes, thank you very much, General.”

Poe pretended to be insulted and threw his arms in the air. He watched as Hux poured Bodkin the tea, marvelling at the fact they were now working as a team. Well… at least until they were off this island. Then all bets were likely off. Hux would no doubt try to slit his throat, and Bodkin would probably sell them out to the highest bidder. He took a gulp of tea and leaned back, one worry at a time. For now, they had a plan.

***

Poe spent the day helping the Rishii collect firewood for the village. He took care to stay close to the huts and always within sight of their hosts. He didn’t see Bodkin for the rest of the day, suspecting that she was napping in her hut.

From time to time he caught sight of Hux talking to armed Rishii that were adorned in colourful wooden necklaces. The way he stood with his hands clasped behind his back gave the impression that he was addressing officers.

He cleared his throat. Tarku, one of the Rishii collecting wood with him, looked up from his work.

“Who is Red talking to?”

“That’s Muri. She is in charge of defending the village this month.”

So Hux was spending the whole day getting chummy with the local commander? He wasn’t sure if that spelled trouble or not. Perhaps he needed to keep a closer eye on Hux? But then again, how was he supposed to do that? Among all the Rishii, the three of them stuck out like sore thumbs. He couldn’t very well trail Hux all day like some lovesick puppy. 

Instinctually, he felt that Hux wouldn’t plan some elaborate evil scheme to double-cross them—odd. He didn’t know why he got that feeling. Was it because he—well, he found him attractive despite his best efforts? 

He put a few more branches in the basket next to him.

No, it was more than that. It was the way Hux was being respectful towards him and Bodkin. It was a complete 180 from the snarling man who had tried to break his larynx back in the pirate cell.

He wiped sweat from his forehead and bent down to collect more wood.

Hux had been feral. But then again, that wasn’t exactly surprising for the infamous General Hux. And the way he had hid in the dark corner like a scared, wounded animal ready to bite anyone who came near. Not that he didn’t revert back to this state whenever he felt threatened or a sensitive topic was broached.

The fact that Hux was now calm and polite indicated that he felt… safe? It was a startling realisation. But then again, it was very human.

It was almost like Hux’s reaction above D’Qar to his stupid, reckless gambit. Instead of projecting cold, inhumane efficiency, he had raged and screamed at the insults he had tossed his way. An odd contrast to Kylo Ren’s blasé indifference when he had tortured him with the Force.

Argh—again his thoughts were circling around Hux. He should really stop before it became a problem.

It took Poe all of three minutes before he was once again glancing Hux’s way. The evening sun bathed the village in an orange-red light. But even in this light Hux’s hair shone brighter than the sun. Damn it.

***

Poe made a valiant effort to ignore Hux the rest of the day and the following morning. He busied himself mostly by helping the Rishii with daily tasks. Bodkin was feeling better and joined him in the work. 

They found themselves helping out in the kitchen of one of the Rishii, preparing some kind of stew.

Bodkin churned a sauce. “So you guys only cook together when there is a feast?”

Naru nodded. “We are very social birds, but it’s simply too much effort for a normal weekday.”

“Thank you for the kind invitation,” said Poe.

“It’s nothing—I like having guests.”

“Where is Red, by the way?” asked Bodkin. “Lunch will be ready soon and I haven’t seen him in hours.”

Poe shrugged. “No idea, probably wandering around to inspect the defenses.”

Bodkin shoved the bucket with the sauce into Poe’s hands. “I’ll go look for him.”

Before he could answer she was gone. He took over the stirring duties. 

He was surprised to discover that he actually enjoyed kitchen work. There was something satisfying about preparing food with one’s own hands—it was a far cry from unwrapping some bland portion. He tried to remember when he had last cooked—it must have been back home with his parents. They used to make a thick soup with black beans, corn, chili, and jorgan fruit. What was its name again? Ah, yes—Yaa’in.

Bodkin returned with a contrite looking Hux. 

“We missed you here, Hugs. I bet you would’ve been great at counting these.” He gestured to a bucket with yellow beans.

“I wasn’t aware that you helped with the dinner preparations, Commander.”

“There is little else to keep me busy—besides, it’s the polite thing to do. Our hosts have been so gracious.”

Naru chuckled. “As I told you, it’s no trouble. We enjoy having guests.”

Bodkin took a seat at the table and stretched her back. “I hardly ever worked in the kitchen, and now I know why.”

“I like it,” declared Poe. “Reminds me of back home.”

“What about you, Red? Have you cooked—”

“No,” Hux pressed out.

It made sense considering that he had been in military structures his whole life. But Poe clocked the terse way Hux had answered. It was a decided, very quick ‘no.’ Hm, interesting.

“Okay,” said Bodkin. “What did you do the whole morning?”

“I patrolled the village border with the warriors and tested the local weapons.”

Poe frowned a bit. “What kind of weapons?”

Hux sighed. “Spears and bows and arrows. Needless to say, it was impossible to operate them—they’re made for Rishii, after all. They have superior body strength and height.”

“I could have told you that by just looking at them,” said Bodkin with a grin.

Hux lifted his chin. “It would be negligent to not at least try.”

“Come on, Red, sit down—the food is ready,” said Naru. He put the heavy pan with fried fish and rice on the table. 

Bodkin clapped her hands. “Yes! I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving,” quipped Poe.

Naru handed out the plates with the food. “It’s great that you are here to taste my cooking. To be honest, I’m hoping to find a mate this season and I need the practice.”

“Is one of the guest houses your mating… uh, apartment?” asked Poe. “How does it work exactly?”

“Ah, you’re interested in our mating rituals!” Naru seemed enthused. “Well, it’s mostly about the proper attraction and of course, skills.”

Bodkin ate a forkful and nodded approvingly. “This is great! What skills do you mean? Apart from cooking.”

“It’s individual—I’m hoping that Lindu will accept my mating calls. Lindu is an amazing warrior and farmer. So ideally, I should be a good nest builder and cook.” He lowered his voice. “Not to be vulgar, but Lindu also has an impressive wingspan.” He chuckled suggestively. 

“Aha,” said Poe.

“So, it’s about being complementary?” asked Hux.

“Ideally, yes. There are no rules to it, but it’s common sense, isn’t it? But it’s also about affection.”

“I see. There certainly is logic behind having a mate who complements one’s skills,” said Hux, chewing slowly.

“Is it—you know—like a surprise or have you and Lindu already spoken about it?” inquired Bodkin. “Does she or he share your feelings?”

“We have been spending a lot of time together in the past months, so there is that. He isn’t one for surprises.”

Hux froze for a split second before he continued to talk. “I see. Then mating isn’t primarily about procreating? Or are you hermaphrodites?” He looked uncomfortable—was he bothered by two males being together? It seemed strange considering that he had been interested in Poe. What a confusing man.

Naru shook his head. “We’re not. It’s—for me at least—it’s about finding somebody to spend your life with.” He smiled. “I think it’s the same for you, yes?”

Bodkin nodded. “In theory, yes... but there are other aspects that sometimes influence who we mate with. Mostly it’s about money, to be honest.”

“That sounds a bit sad, if you forgive my saying,” said Naru.

Bodkin shrugged. “It’s a shitty galaxy. We just muddle through and hope to find a small piece of happiness.”

“I don’t agree,” interjected Poe. “I believe that we have a right to more than just a little happiness. I think that we have the power to turn this shitty galaxy into something better.”

“I concur,” said Hux.

Poe choked on his food and coughed. “What?”

Hux leaned back in his chair. “I agree with you, Commander. It’s possible to bring order into this chaotic galaxy.”

“Order? You think you bring order to the galaxy?” Poe was still a bit hoarse and coughed again.

“Yes.”

Poe glared at Hux. Of course he would think that. Oppression was peace as far as the First Order was concerned. Why was he even surprised? It was almost as if he had forgotten who Hux was, what he had done, and what he was capable of.

He gritted his teeth, tempted to give Hux a piece of his mind. Stars—in being friendly to him he had pulled the wool over his own eyes.

Poe scoffed and used all his willpower to change the topic. He turned his attention to Naru. “So, when is the big day?”

“Big day?”

“When will you propose to Lindu?”

***

Later that afternoon Poe headed to the beach adjacent to the village, seeking a bit of solace. It was the perfect day for a swim, and he had received assurances that it was perfectly safe. For one blissful hour he simply took in all the beautiful beach had to offer. The warm water and sun worked their magic, and he was able to gather his racing thoughts.

So far in this ordeal he had been mostly playing things by ear. But perhaps he needed to step up his game. Hux being a fanatic could mean that he would never be able to crack him to get information about the Order.

Memories of a tipsy Hux flashed into his mind. The man had been rather unguarded after the feast. The fermented fruits had loosened his tongue to the point where he had shown his interest in him. Perhaps he could find an in or get a hint of First Order plans if Hux was three sheets to the wind.

Poe waded out of the water and sat down in the shade of a nearby tree. The Rishii were having another feast this evening. They were honouring the start of the moulting season for the younglings. This was his opportunity to enact his plan. He just had to make sure that Hux ate enough booze fruits, easy.


	8. Close Quarters

Later at the feast Poe waited until the dessert course was served before shuffling over to Hux’s side of the table, taking the empty seat right next to the man.

“Oh boy, Hugs. They really dig that accent of yours.”

Hux shifted uneasily in his seat. “They do.”

“It’s a bit creepy to hear them talk in an Imperial accent,” Poe said and pulled a plate with fermented fruits closer to him. He took a fruit and took a bite. “Bet it makes you feel right at home, hm?”

Hux shrugged and took a fruit, beginning to play with it. “If you’re referring to Arkanis… most natives have Core World accents.” His nervous hands stilled and he bit into the fruit. 

“Okay, but why don’t you have one?”

“Imperial accents are expected of officers. My father encouraged me to speak accordingly.”

“Really? Can you say something in a Core World accent?”

Hux scoffed and shoved the fruit in his mouth. “Of course not, I have unlearned it.”

“Doesn’t it bother you?” asked Poe, curiosity taking over. “That you have more or less lost your language, your home—”

“An accent is not a language and ‘home’ is, as already stated, just an imaginary construct.”

Poe took another nibble of his dessert and subtly pushed the plate with the fruits closer to Hux. “But how do you know who you are if you don’t remember your past?”

Hux smirked joylessly. “Oh, believe me. I remember enough of the past to know exactly what I am.”

Poe propped his elbow on the table. “What, not who?”

“You heard me.” Hux grabbed another fruit and bit into it. The tips of his ears were already a bit pink.

“I prefer knowing _who_ I am.”

Hux remained silent, chewing slowly.

“I mean, I was a lot of things in my life,” continued Poe. “My father told me that I was the best climber he had ever seen. My mother told me that I was the fiercest hunter in the family. My teacher at school said that I was a smartass, and my first commander said that I was a disgrace to the uniform. But that’s not who I am.”

“Is there a point to this speech of yours?” asked Hux dryly.

Poe chuckled. “You don’t get what I’m saying.”

“Oh? And what would that be?”

“None of them were describing me—they were just describing my skills. They described the ‘what’ and not the ‘who.’” He nudged Hux, feeling already a bit lightheaded.

Hux frowned. “Skills define who we are. Your commander probably said that you’re a disgrace to the Republic uniform because you lacked the necessary discipline. That makes you an unreliable soldier. That is _what_ you are, that is _who_ you are. Simple as that.”

Poe drank a gulp of water. Stars, those fruits were something—but he had to keep a clear head. “Nope. In his opinion, I was supposed to stay in the Republic fleet, like a good little soldier. But in _my_ opinion, I would have disgraced the Republic by staying put instead of joining the Rebels to fight the First Order.” He scoffed. “I’m an exceptional soldier because I care about the cause. Because that’s who I am. Do you see the difference?”

Hux pulled the corners of his mouth down. “That’s sophistry.”

“It’s not, because truth be told—I wasn’t a good climber or a good hunter. They were only snapshots of me. I didn’t suck at it because I was too stubborn to quit when I didn’t manage to get up a tree or hit the prey. Because that is who I am—I’m tenacious.”

Hux rubbed his chin. “I see your point, but I still maintain that it’s just semantics.”

“Okay, let’s talk about you. What are you?”

Hux frowned and chewed on his lower lip before he took another fruit, apparently to win time. “I—I’m a General of the First Order.” The answer lacked conviction.

“Why? What made you join the Order?”

“I was born into the Order, as you well know.”

“And why are you a General and not.... say, a simple engineer?” Poe had taken another fruit but didn’t eat it.

Hux blinked a few times, apparently taken aback by the question. “It wouldn’t have been enough. I needed power—no, not power, I—” he broke off.

“See? I was right. Now tell me who you are.”

Hux stared blankly at him. “I’m a General of the First Order.”

“Come on, Hugs. I’ll start by naming five things about me and you can take it from there.” Poe cleared his throat. “I’m tenacious, confident, talkative, athletic, and a very good judge of character and—ah, I said five, didn’t I? It’s your turn.”

Hux was still chewing on his lower lip when he took another fruit. There was already a flush on his cheeks. “I’m—I’m tired of your games, Commander. You obviously try to confuse me with these silly questions.” He pushed his chair back and staggered to his feet. “If you’ll excuse me, Brakau wanted to hear another poem.”

Poe watched him join Brakau and other Rishii at the end of the table. Why did Hux flee from such a simple question? All he had to do was name five qualities that defined who he was as a person.

He leaned back in his chair and mindlessly took another bite of the hard liquored fruit before catching himself. Stars, he had to be careful with these things—what were they called again? Naxu something or other. He pushed the plate far away and looked back at Hux.

Brakau and the other Rishii listened with fascination as Hux recited the poem. Poe could see that he wasn’t as relaxed as he had been during his last recitation. He looked tense, almost strained.

Poe sighed. Here he was again, watching Hux, musing about what was going on in that strange brain of his. He found that he actually liked talking to him. He was both predictable and unpredictable at once. Hot and cold, soft and sharp—

“You’re staring again, you know that?” Bodkin whispered into his ear.

Poe almost fell off his chair. “Stars! Don’t creep up on me like that!”

Bodkin laughed and settled into the chair Hux had just vacated. She took one look at the plate of fruits and grimaced, pushing the plate even further away. “What happened to taking it easy with those things?”

Poe shrugged. “I thought I might follow your example.”

“Hey, no problem. I’ll drag your ass back to the hut if need be.” She patted him on his shoulder and left.

***

The next couple of hours passed pleasantly for Poe. Talking and laughing with the Rishii helped take his mind off a certain ginger general. He had resisted the fruits and had a pleasant buzz going without actually being drunk… at least he thought so until it was time to rise from his chair.

“Stars, remind me to go easy on the fruits next time—what are they called again?”

One of the Rishii laughed and the small wooden pendants on her chest clattered. “Naxu’neshu.”

“Nashusesu? Nah, doesn’t sound right. Anyway, I better get going.”

As he carefully made his way to the guest huts, he noticed Hux a few meters ahead on the path. He picked up his pace in order to catch up to him. “How was the poem recital, Hugs?”

It was hard to be sure in the flickering light of the lanterns, but the man’s cheeks still looked flushed. “Our hosts remain entertained by it, but I’m certain they’ll tire of me and my accent sooner or later.” Hux turned and continued his way.

Poe sighed, following. “It’s still so warm that I almost miss the rain. A pity that these huts don’t have air conditioning.” His shirt was glued to his chest. He opened the first few buttons and fanned himself for a bit of relief.

Hux glanced at Poe and his eyes briefly dropped to his open shirt before returning once again to the path ahead. “I thought about your challenge and I can of course name five qualities that define me: I’m punctual, always on schedule with my projects, dutiful—”

“That’s the same thing y’know,” interrupted Poe with a lopsided grin. “So you’re a reliable guy, what else?”

Hux blinked. “I—I had more, but I’m afraid I’m intoxicated. I forgot the other ones,” he said in a low voice.

A mild breeze greeted them as they reached the huts. “Stars, that wind is great,” exclaimed Poe. He looked to Hux, who was staring at the ground, seemingly in deep thought. “Come on, I’ll say some stuff to jog your memory.”

Poe nudged him, a shiver running down his spine at the contact made with Hux’s bare forearm. There was a slight prickling on his skin, and for a split second he wondered how it must feel to properly touch his skin. Was it as soft as it looked? It was from what he remembered when he dressed his wounds.

Poe could feel heat crawl up his cheeks. He had to stop—right now. He cleared his throat. “I’ll just say stuff and you tell me if it’s any of the qualities you thought of.”

“Commander…” Hux said with a hint of tiredness in his voice. “Please don’t.”

Poe smiled. “I’m serious. How about intelligent, witty, considerate? Am I getting warmer?”

Hux blinked a few times, looking miserable. “I didn’t take you for a cruel man, Commander,” he said very quietly.

“You think that I’m joking, don’t you?” Poe could feel warmth spreading from his stomach up to this chest. He felt a little dizzy. He put his hand on Hux’s upper arm to steady himself. “Okay, listen up, Hugs. I have no idea what happened to you to kriff you up so badly, but… come on. You are a smart guy. You know on some level that you are not just some, uh, empty uniform, right?”

Hux gulped. “You are drunk.”

Poe smiled at him. “So what? I’m not drunk enough to make this up.”

The mild wind played with Hux’s hair. In the warm light of the lantern he looked warm, soft, and very handsome. Only now Poe realised that his hand was still on his arm. He was suddenly feeling very hot, a heat pooling in his crotch. Stars, why did he have to look so handsome?

He noticed how Hux’s eyes dropped to his lips—his breath quickened.

Poe stepped closer. His arm wandered from Hux’s arm to his chest. Hux’s breath shuttered, but it was clear from the look on his face, his half parted lips, that he wasn’t averse to his touch.

Poe raised his hand up to touch the side of Hux’s neck, his fingertips trailing upwards until he brushed those beckoning sharp cheekbones with his thumb. Hux was completely still, staring at him with wide open eyes. Poe slowly pulled the taller man down and gave him a tender kiss on his soft lips.

Hux was hesitant at first, but by the third kiss he returned them in earnest, sliding an arm around Poe, pulling him closer. Poe felt himself stiffen and his breath became a bit ragged from the kisses and his arousal. 

His hand went back down to Hux’s chest, over his flat stomach, stopping when it reached his crotch. As expected, there was already a bulge in his pants. Hux moaned in his mouth when he cupped it, massaging it softly.

“Let’s go inside,” Poe whispered.

Hux’s eyes snapped open. “I—this is not—”

He massaged his impressive package again. “Come on, let’s go inside.” He kissed him again. “Please.”

Hux nodded and Poe let go of him. He was feeling hot and dizzy when he led Hux into his hut. He turned on the light and turned to press Hux against the wall, peppering him with greedy kisses as he unbuttoned his too large shirt.

Hux let it all happen. Poe took notice of his passive behaviour and slowed down a bit when he had reached the last button of his shirt. “Are you alright?”

“You can turn off the light if you want,” said Hux quietly. “I don’t mind.”

Poe grinned at him and pulled him down into another kiss. “I want to see you.” He pulled the shirt open so that he could see his slim chest, his wonderful pale skin, and of course the trail of ginger hair leading down into his pants. The sight alone made him even harder. “Stars, you are so beautiful,” he whispered, kissing his chest, his nipples, and finally down to his belly, going down on his knees.

Hux moaned in response. The very sound was so hot that Poe became determined to hear it again. The composed General coming undone. Yes, he wanted him to lose his composure, make him squirm.

Poe was now so hard that he could swear that he was already leaking pre-cum. He unbuckled Hux’s belt with trembling hands and opened his trousers. With a quick pull he freed Hux’s erection. Seeing the proud cock standing fully erect made him exhale.

“So big and beautiful,” he whispered as he took hold of it with his right hand, giving his dick a soft jerk, drawing a muffled groan from Hux.

He kissed it from base to tip before he took it into his mouth. He felt how Hux put his hands on his head, caressing his curls as he started to suck the cock with abandon. Stars, everything about it was so hot—the salty taste of the pre-cum, the musky scent, and most of all the moans of the man before him.

His jaw was beginning to ache when Hux finally whispered. “I’m close, I can’t—”

Poe pressed his finger into the sensitive spot between Hux’s balls and his ass, sucking harder, faster, until Hux came in his mouth. 

Poe swallowed it all and kept sucking until Hux was spent. Then he let go and wiped over his mouth. Hux stared at him wide-eyed and out of breath.

Poe stood up and gave him an impish grin while trying to catch his breath. “I've wanted to do that since I first saw it on the beach that day.”

Hux blushed and the very sight made Poe’s cock strain even harder against his pants. The unflappable General all blushed and unkempt, had come just for him. He pulled the zipper of his own pants down.

He put his hands on his hips and presented himself in all his glory to Hux, who was still leaning against the wall, looking confused. “Your turn.”

Hux hesitantly took a step forward, his eyes fixed on Poe’s jutting dick. He licked his lips and put his hand on Poe’s bicep, running his fingers over his defined muscle. His other hand brushed over Poe’s pecs, and his abs. He seemed to like what he saw. Poe’s grin widened and he put his hand over Hux’s, pressing it against his chest. 

Hux flinched and pulled his hands back as if he had been burned by his touch. Poe took a step forward and took his hand again. “Relax, Hugs. No need to be shy. Don’t you want to see me cum?” He grabbed his own dick and stroked it. “Don’t you want to touch it?” he asked in a hoarse voice. 

Hux gulped and stared at him, clearly interested in what he was seeing. Perhaps he needed to give him a hint? Poe let go of his cock. “What about an inspection, General?”

“Is this what you want, Commander?” asked Hux, taking a quick step forward and grabbing his throbbing dick. He began stroking him experimentally. Poe had hoped for it, but he was still surprised at how fast Hux had picked up on his hint.

A wave of pleasure and excitement rolled through Poe. It felt amazing—seeing a mussed up Hux doing the deed only added to his lust. “Stars!”

“I didn’t know that you were capable of standing at attention, Commander,” said Hux in his clipped Imperial accent, starting to jerk him off faster. Gone was all restraint. Even in his sexual spell Poe wondered if Hux had imagined doing something like this before. If not for his ragged breath he might have even sounded professional.

It was so damn hot that Poe bit his lower lip. “I—ah, I told you I’m a good soldier, Hugs.”

Hux released his dick, drawing a sound of protest from Poe. Hux stepped behind him, squeezing both firm buttcheeks in his hands before pressing himself against Poe’s ass. “Your posture is lacking too.” He reached for his cock again and continued at a slower pace.

Poe straightened his back, pressing into the man behind him. Hux leaned down and whispered in his ear: “Slow or fast?”

A shudder of arousal ran down his spine. Hux’s soft looking lips were so close, so damn close to his neck. He really was baring his throat to the rabid cur. “Fast,” he pressed out. “Hard and fast.”

Hux increased the pace, jerking his engorged cock with a firm grip. In the sexually induced haze, Poe barely noticed the slick finger trailing his ass cleft until it was pushed suddenly deeper. When the tip of the finger brushed his tight hole he let out a shuttered breath.

The rhythm of Hux's ministrations and the increasing pressure on his asshole were driving him close to the edge fast. He needed to cum so badly—his balls felt too full and hot. He answered Hux’s ministrations by grinding hard against the other man’s hand. As the climax overtook Poe, Hux pushed his finger in and started to pump. The burning sensation in his ass and the climax blended together beautifully, making Poe moan loudly. 

Hux continued working him until he had come down from his orgasm. When the pleasure had passed, Hux released him and went into the bathroom without a word. Poe missed the press of his body when it was gone. The sound of running water interrupted his thoughts...

Poe decided to join him in the bathroom and clean up. He felt calm and very satisfied. Touching Hux and being touched by him was every bit as good as he had hoped. 

He noticed immediately that Hux was avoiding eye contact, which was odd given how confident he had been only minutes before.

While Poe continued with his task, Hux retreated to the bed and sat down, nervously running his hand through his hair. Poe finished quickly and took a seat on the bed next to him. He leaned over and gave the other man a kiss on his cheek. His eyes were suddenly drawn to the pale skin of Hux’s collarbone. Poe couldn’t resist trailing it with the tips of his fingers.

Hux shivered. “What are you doing?” he asked in a low voice.

“Nothing.” His fingers continued their exploration over his shoulders.

Hux was very still, breathing shallow.

Poe then pressed a kiss on his neck. “Why are you always so tense? We’re just having a bit of fun.”

“This is a mistake.”

“You don’t say.”

Hux exhaled. “Are you being unpredictable on purpose?”

Poe laughed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Hux got up and started to collect his clothes, escaping Poe’s caress. “You know exactly what I mean.”

Poe let himself fall back onto the bed. “I’m not one of those Force users, you know. I can’t read your mind. You need to be more specific.”

Hux put on his boxers and slid into his shirt. “Alright, I’ll speak plainly even though I’m probably going to regret it.” He pulled his pants up. “You were quite clear in your disdain for me. I don’t understand why you—” he blushed, “why you bedded me.”

Poe shrugged. “I guess for the same reason you did.” 

A scowl appeared on Hux’s face. “I—”

“Stop right there,” said Poe and got up. “Perhaps I’m Force sensitive after all—I know exactly what you’re going to say: ‘I was a fool to expect you to be candid, Commander’ and then you would go on about how you’re too good for me anyway to cover up your crippling self-doubts.” He put his hands on his hips, fully aware of his nudity.

“I happen to be in possession of two working eyes,” sneered Hux. “And two working ears —so I know what people think of me.”

“Your eyes and ears may be faulty, ever think of that?”

Hux only scoffed and started to button up his shirt.

Poe placed his hand on his to stop him. “You really need me to tell you what you—”

Hux’s eyes hardened. “I don’t need you to tell me that I’m a skinny, pasty droid. I know exactly what I am! Not everybody is as gifted as Ren or as good-looking as you.”

Poe felt a twinge in his chest; how could anyone hate themselves this much? Instead of being cocky about his conquest, Hux had reverted back to self-loathing. “I think you’re very handsome,” he said in an even voice, without a hint of a smile on his lips.

Hux paused, scanning Poe’s face as if searching for something. What he found, Poe couldn’t be sure. The frustrating man simply pressed his lips together, turned on his heel, and walked straight out of the hut.

Poe exhaled and sat back on the bed.

Stars, Hux was a mess. He’d never known anyone so paranoid, sad, and self-hating. Knowing him, he would probably pace back and forth the rest of the night, berating himself for letting ‘Rebel scum’ take advantage of him.

Kriff.

***

NSFW artwork below

Many thanks to the wonderful [Trashmuh](https://trashmuh.tumblr.com/) for drawing this hot art ^^

***

[](https://ibb.co/2qn2y3V)


	9. All Hands on Deck

The next day at breakfast Hux acted as if nothing had happened. He was being his usual polite, reserved self. Something about it irked Poe. He was tempted to drop hints of last night to Bodkin, but decided against it. It would have been immature, and yet… he wanted to get a reaction out of Hux; some sort of acknowledgement of what they’d shared. He wanted to see him blush—anything!

Instead, he gulped down his tea and forced himself to turn his attention to Bodkin and said the first thing that came to mind. “Any news on our ride?”

She scoffed. “You know as much as I do. Why do you ask?”

“I’m bored,” he answered noncommittally. From the corner of his eye he saw Hux give him a haughty glance. Oh, so that was how he wanted to play it? He would show him. “How about we meet up in the afternoon to discuss how we could repay our generous hosts?”

Bodkin blinked. “What?”

“Come on, don’t you think that they deserve a token of our gratitude for keeping us safe?”

“I’m surprised that you would be so considerate, Commander.”

Poe flashed him his charming grin. “Great, I’ll see you two at the beach later.” He jumped up and left before the others could object.

***

In the late afternoon Poe headed to the beach and swam a few rounds before Bodkin and Hux appeared. He saw them descend from the village, talking in low voices to one another. As they were about to approach the beach, he swam the last round and deliberately emerged from the water, running his hand through his hair. 

Poe knew that he was vain—there was no denying it. Why else would he keep the curls and do sit-ups and push-ups every morning? He knew what he was about, and he knew that he would look good emerging from the water only wearing a small pair of shorts that Naru had lent him.

As the two eyed Poe, Bodkin’s lekku twitched and Hux pressed his lips together in annoyance. The tips of his ears were turning a delightful shade of pink.

He stood in front of them and beamed. “You should join me for a swim—it’s a great way to kill the time and cool off.”

Bodkin cleared her throat. “So, any ideas?”

“We could stop stealing their clothing,” said Hux, nodding towards Poe’s trunks.

“Do you want me to take them off?” he said with a wide grin.

“Your innuendo is getting a bit too blunt for my taste, Commander.” Hux managed to look indifferent. “Shall we focus on the task at hand?”

Hux was right of course. He hadn’t been subtle, and worst of all, he hadn’t been particularly funny or witty. Poe rolled his shoulders back and exhaled. “Okay, so I thought about introducing new languages or accents for them. The Rishii would be thrilled.”

“Sure, sure… but I’m afraid my Twi’leki isn’t good enough to make a show of it.”

Poe rubbed his chin. “True… and I’m certain that they have heard enough Hutteste and Core World accents.”

Hux crossed his arms. “I’m afraid we’ll have to come up with something different.” 

“Since we’ve got nothing but the clothes on our back, I guess we could cook something for them.” Bodkin smirked. “You seemed to like it in the kitchen, Poe.”

He grinned at her in confirmation. “We can’t cook for the whole village, it’s too much… but how about dessert? I’m sure we can gather enough food supplies for some kind of cake or pudding.”

“Yeah, that should be doable. They seem to really like their dessert.” Bodkin leaned against a palm tree and squinted into the evening sun.

Hux grimaced. “A dessert? Cook for them like we’re lowly kitchen servants? I don’t think so.”

Bodkin glared at him. “They cooked for you often enough. Do you think they are ‘lowly servants’?”

“No, I—”

Bodkin scoffed. “You know what? Fine. Poe and I can do it on our own. If you come up with something else, you’re welcome to do it on your own.”

“Suit yourselves,” shot back Hux with vitriol in his voice. “Humiliate yourselves for all I care.”

Stars, what was with the guy? Just when he—no, this was ridiculous. “You think providing food for people is humiliating? What’s  _ humiliating _ is your general attitude concerning this.” Poe didn’t know why Hux’s reluctance to participate in their effort annoyed him as much as it did. Was it because he had become intimate with him? Had he really thought that would be enough to understand a man like Hux? Poe turned to Bodkin. “Let’s go.”

***

They spent the rest of the day trying to come up with recipes they could remember from scratch. It turned out that it was harder than they had anticipated. After dinner Poe was ill-humored and dejected. He had hoped that they would be able to come up with something nice for their hosts. Part of the problem too was that he was feeling guilty for being stuck on this remote island while his friends were out fighting against the Order.

He remained at the dinner table for some time, playing with one of the fruits. He couldn’t decide whether to eat it or not. It was tempting to relax with the alcohol, but at the same time he wasn’t keen on getting drunk again. His thoughts returned to the recipe and finally to Hux. A forbidden fruit he also didn’t know if he should have another taste of.

Hah, as if he had a choice. He needed to get on Hux’s good side so that he wouldn’t bail on them first thing when they got off the island. But of course that didn’t mean that he had to be intimate with him… did it?

He sighed. Either way, he had to keep trying to befriend him, even if he was a snobbish prick. A very handsome snobbish prick.

Poe let the fruit roll from his right to his left hand and back again.

Why had it bothered him so much that Hux found cooking a lowly activity? If anything, it was completely in line with what a First Order General would believe. Everything and everybody was beneath him. No, no that was not Hux. He was too self-conscious for that.

Bodkin sat down next to him, banging her glass of purple liquid on the table. “So, did you remember that recipe your mom used to make?” 

He exhaled. “Nah, I got nothing.”

“Too bad.”

“Perhaps we should come up with something else.”

“Or we could ask Naru to help us.”

Poe continued to play with the fruit, denting its exterior with his fingernails. “If you don’t mind… let’s talk about it tomorrow. I’m tired.”

“Are you tired or upset because you and your boyfriend got into a little tiff?”

He felt heat crawl up his cheeks and laughed to distract her. “You’re right of course. And here I thought I could introduce him to my father… but alas, he turned out to be an arrogant jerk. Who would have thought?”

He shifted in his seat, recalling how she had said ‘boyfriend’—it had been a joke, of course, but the fact that he was physically reacting to it worried him. Since when was he bashful about such things?

He got up and cleared his throat. “Well, I’m afraid I’m not good company tonight. I think I’ll head back and try to get some sleep.”

Bodkin waived off. “Alright, see you tomorrow.”

***

He ended up taking a stroll in the village before actually returning to his hut. He felt uneasy, annoyed, and tired at the same time. Perhaps the exercise would help. 

Soon, questions began churning in his head. Were his friends searching for him? How was the state of the war? Had the Rebel fleet interrupted the supply lines of the Order in the Omok system as planned? Or had General Organa postponed the whole thing?

He bit into the fruit he was still holding and made his way past the colourfully decorated houses and lanterns.

Stars, what was he doing musing about Hux when the task at hand was clear as day: he needed to get intel from him one way or another. Poe had done a lot of things he wasn’t proud of—he had cajoled, manipulated, lied, killed, and blackmailed people to get the intel he needed. If it took intimacy to get the desired results, so be it.

He finished the fruit with new determination.

After a bit of asking around, he found Hux in front of a hut on the northern edge of the village. He was sitting on a low tree trunk, studying what appeared to be a bolt and a nut. Before him was a pipe and a wrench. Poe noticed that there were metal pipes leading to the back of the hut.

He cleared his throat and Hux looked up, his green eyes locking on Poe for an instant before returning back to the bolt.

“This doesn’t look like the high-tech you’re used to, Hugs.”

Hux smacked his lips. “Of course not, it’s a simple albeit efficient way to recycle waste. From what I’ve seen, the Rishii are using a XO-452 to filter the water. Sturdy and reliable.”

“I think it’s commendable that you’re trying your hand at plumbing in case the Order goes tits-up. After all, a good plumber is an absolute necessity on all Hutt worlds.”

“Of course you would know all about the dregs of galactic society. Seeing as you are an expert on scum and muck… do you think that a DIN-134354 nut would improve the firmness of the propeller shaft?” 

“I honestly don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.” He clicked his tongue. “Seems that scum is your speciality after all.”

“Indeed. So is sustainability—that’s why I thought I could come up with a more efficient way to recycle water instead of serving a sub-par pudding.” Hux screwed the bolt and the nut into the pipe and went into the hut to put them back where he had apparently found them. 

“Not everything is about efficiency, Hugs. Saying thank you is about sentiment.” Poe crossed his arms. “I gotta ask—how is plumbing less humiliating than cooking?”

Hux wiped his hands on his trousers and sighed. “What is it that you really want to know?”

He was right, of course. He should ask about the war, about the Order… but he shouldn’t be too hasty. “There is a lot I want to know from you, but I’m actually interested in why you hate cooking so much.”

“I’m not drunk enough to answer such personal questions,” Hux said slowly, scanning Poe from head to toe.

Poe gave him a thin smile. “Come on, it’s basically just small talk. Why don’t you like to cook?” Judging from Hux’s hesitation, it seemed to be anything but small talk. His reluctance only made things more mysterious. Poe couldn’t shake the feeling that it was key to understanding Hux… so that he could get more intel out of him, of course.

Hux blinked and looked shortly up to the sky before looking back at him. “You really like to put your finger on open wounds, don’t you? Must be a gift of yours. But seeing as we’re trapped here for the foreseeable future, and you would likely pester me until I tell you... “ He took a deep breath. “As I already mentioned, I’m a bastard. My mother was a kitchen maid. There, that’s your answer.”

Poe had no idea what to say to that. 

Hux smirked at his hesitation. “This must be the first time I’ve seen you speechless. If only I had known earlier that all it took to shut you up was a sob story from my childhood.”

“I don’t get why this all bothers you. So what if your mother worked in the kitchen? It’s good, honest work. My father’s family was poor. He had to sell Temple of Sacrifice kitsch to offworld tourists when he was a kid. It wasn’t even authentic Yavinese kitsch, it was from some Hutt world. So what? That doesn’t—”

Hux grimaced. “It’s not your place to talk about my upbringing as if you can relate.” He started to walk away.

Poe followed him, quickening his step until he was next to him. “I didn’t pretend to relate, Hugs. I just wanted to talk because I was curious about you.”

“There is nothing to be curious about,” scoffed Hux. “This is just another attempt to manipulate me.”

Poe dramatically put his hand on his forehead. “Oh no, I have been caught in the act. And here I thought asking an enemy General about his parents was the ultimate master plan to get him to talk about top secret plans.”

Hux slowed his brisk pace a bit, glancing at Poe. “I can never tell if you’re joking or not.”

A silly joke about this being part of his charm was on the tip of his tongue. But in the warm light of the paper lanterns he saw something on Hux’s face… it was almost as if he was looking at him with something like expectation or hope. Poe felt suddenly warm—and it wasn’t because of the Naxu’neshu fruit or the heat.

He looked at the green eyes searching his face. Poe stopped walking and so did Hux. The mild wind was playing with Hux’s hair, and the stubble on his face was doing nothing to cover those sharp cheekbones. Poe gulped. “I’m really interested in you... usually I can get a good read on people, but you are a riddle wrapped up in an enigma.”

Hux blinked and avoided his gaze, pressing his lips together. For a moment he looked annoyed, but the way he bit his lower lip told a different story. He believed him, or rather he wanted to believe him. 

The realisation gave Poe a stab in the heart. The infamous General Hux was so lonely, so desperate for somebody to take an interest in his person that he was ready to believe his enemy. If only he could show him that he was more than he thought he was. More than just a cog in a machine, forced to do Ren’s bidding.

He smiled and reached out for Hux’s hand, brushing over the back of it with his thumb. Poe felt his breath quicken when the other man stepped closer. Hux let out a shaky breath before he bent down and kissed him softly, cupping his cheek with his hand.

They broke the kiss after a few moments, both being breathless. “My hut?” asked Poe and Hux nodded, a blush on his face.

Poe closed the door behind him and turned his attention to Hux, pulling him into another kiss. He felt how Hux was exploring his body with his hands, running them over his shoulders, his back, and his hips. They broke the kiss and Hux eagerly started to unbutton Poe’s shirt—or at least he opened the last remaining buttons of his already open shirt.

Hux kissed him again, soft and hungry at the same time. They moved to the bed and Hux pressed Poe down, making him sit on the edge of the bed. Hux stood in front of him, looking at him and gulping; was he having second thoughts?

Poe reached out and placed his hands on the other man’s hips, pulling him slowly forward. Hux finally relaxed and straddled his lap. He brushed over Poe’s hair with his left hand and gave him a peck on his eye. “You have such beautiful brown eyes… full of wonder and curiosity.”

The words sent a shiver down his spine.

Hux ground his hips against him, both looking at each other as they enjoyed the friction. Poe grabbed Hux’s shirt and simply pulled it over his head without bothering with the buttons. He let himself fall backwards so that he was laying on the bed. Hux knelt over him, capturing his lips in a bruising kiss. To Poe’s delight, his lips made their way to his earlobe while one of his wandering hands rubbed at his aching crotch. 

Poe hissed lustfully, feeling Hux’s tongue and teeth descend on his neck—nibbling, licking, sucking. His pants were starting to feel too tight. He reached down to unzip them in relief. As soon as Hux noticed, he got up and opened his own pants.

Poe jerked upwards suddenly and latched onto Hux’s belly, kissing the taut, flat stomach while pulling the pants down for Hux in one swift movement. He quickly disposed of the boxers that hid that wondrous cock. Hux was taken aback by his eagerness and froze.

“Sorry, I don’t have a lot of patience,” said Poe with a sultry smile. He grabbed Hux again and pulled him closer. “Come here.”

“I—I want to see you naked first,” whispered Hux as if he was asking something indecent. 

Poe rose from the bed and lowered his own pants, leaving just the boxers. “I’m leaving the best part for you.”

“You are intolerable,” said Hux with a somewhat ragged breath as he let his eyes roam over Poe’s athletic body. Finally he took hold of the boxers, pulling them down so that the tip of the raging erection before him was just peeking out of the waistband.

Poe almost winced. He made a move to pull the boxers the rest of the way down, but Hux halted the motion with his hand. “Patience is a virtue, Commander.”

Hux stood and pressed himself against Poe, making the tip of his cock brush over Poe’s upper abs. He grabbed his muscular ass cheeks, caressing them with both hands. “So firm and round,” whispered Hux. “I appreciate that you are partaking in regular physical drills, Commander.”

“I told you that I’m a good soldier, General,” panted Poe. He hadn’t even known that he was into roleplay, but hearing Hux’s smooth voice made it so damn hot. Stars, it wasn’t supposed to be so hot. And Hux wasn’t supposed to be in control.

Poe embraced him and lifted him quickly up, letting him fall on the bed, pinning him down. Hux flinched. He put his hand on Poe’s chest, pushing it away, moving to get up again. 

Poe put his hand on Hux’s and gave him a reassuring smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” He leaned over and gave him a lingering kiss. “You don’t like rough stuff, do you?”

“No,” said Hux in a very quiet voice. He relaxed and pulled his hand back.

Poe cupped his cheek and caressed his face with his thumb. “Everything is okay. If I’m going too fast, just tell me to stop.”

Hux nodded and Poe kissed him again before making his way downwards. He pressed kisses to the man’s thighs and navel before finally taking hold of the magnificent cock waiting for him.

He watched closely how Hux reacted to each jerk. Like the last time, it was exhilarating to see his facade crumble under the overwhelming lust. He loved to see those wonderful soft lips half parted and couldn’t help but wonder how they would feel around his dick.

The image of a mussed up Hux sucking his dick had so much allure that he felt himself stiffen even further. He bit his lip and swung his right leg over Hux, facing his cock while presenting his own dick to those alluring lips.

He gasped when he felt a grip around his base, followed by lips touching his aching, throbbing erection. He decided to repay him in kind and took his straining cock into his mouth. The musky, salty taste was as enticing as he remembered. He sucked as fast as he could, hoping to prompt Hux into doing the same. He was horny and already so on edge that he needed to cum.

Hux spread his legs to grant him better access, clearly enjoying his ministrations. Poe could hear a muffled moan as Hux started to massage his balls. He then twirled his tongue so skillfully over Poe’s tip that he almost lost his pace.

This would not do—he needed Hux to come so that he could watch him properly! Poe increased his pace, but Hux spread his buttcheeks and pressed a finger against his hole, making him twitch and groan. Hux’s dick fell out of his mouth and he moaned louder as the delicious pressure increased. He glanced down between his own legs and saw how eagerly he was being sucked off. That visual image and the merciless pace made him cum faster than he expected, shooting his load into Hux’s mouth with a surprised “aaahhhh.”

He watched Hux suck him off until he was spent. Afterwards, he eagerly positioned himself between Hux’s legs. Hux propped himself up on his elbows and was a panting mess. Poe looked him straight in the eye as he began jerking him off. To Poe’s amusement, Hux looked aroused and offended at the same time, as if he couldn’t believe that he was actually having sex with a rebel. Poe decided to add insult to injury and put his finger in his mouth, coating it with saliva. Hux’s eyes followed his every move. 

He put his slick finger on Hux’s puckered hole as he continued jerking him off. Hux gasped in response, but didn’t mutter a word. Poe circled around the tight hole, increasing pressure with pumping movements.

Hux’s mussed ginger hair hung beautifully in his face. He was pressing his lips together in a poor attempt at keeping control. The sight alone spurred Poe on. Biting his lower lip, he finally pushed the digit in. He stopped stroking him and waited a moment for him to adjust. Then in one quick movement, he crooked his finger, making contact with Hux’s sweet spot.

The effect was immediate and everything Poe had hoped for: Hux’s hips jerked and he groaned in a way Poe had not heard before. He continued massaging him, watching his lustful, pained expression.

“Will you come for me, General?” he whispered, increasing the pressure.

“I—ahhhh, I’m—” panted Hux, unable to form a sentence between the moans.

“Will you?”

“Yes, ye—aaahh.”

Poe continued jerking him off with quick hard movements until Hux spurted his white cum all over his stomach. Poe was completely spent, but the sight of Hux so undone, so uncontrolled and dirty was almost enough to make him stiff again.

He let himself collapse next to Hux on the bed, both panting. “Stars, that was so good,” said Poe with a chuckle.

“You are such a tease,” scolded Hux with an audible smile in his voice.

Poe propped himself up on his elbow and gave Hux a peck on his lips. “I’ll go get water and some washcloths.”

Hux looked surprised. “Why did you do that?” He touched his lips where Poe had kissed him.

Poe got up and headed to the bathroom. “Because we just had amazing sex and you look handsome. Why else?”

He returned to the bed and dunked one of the washcloths into the water. He wiped over Hux’s chest, his stomach and his genitals, cleaning the sweat, saliva and sperm away. “I know you don’t believe me, but you really are beautiful.” He put the cloth away and started to clean himself with the other.

Hux turned on his side to face him. “Do you really mean that?”

Poe dried himself and climbed onto the bed, facing Hux. “Of course I do.”

“I think you are very handsome too,” said Hux in a low voice, tracing one of Poe’s biceps with his finger. He gulped. “There are plans to build another Starkiller.”

Poe froze and he could feel all the colour drain from his face. “What?”

Hux pulled his hand back. “The Supreme Leader is looking for suitable planets as we speak. Even if they find one it will take at least five years to bring it online.”

“H—how is that even possible? I thought the cost alone left you guys high and dry?” Poe sat up, feeling nauseous. 

“We engineered a hack on all central banks in the Hosnian System before… there is no government left to reclaim the funds.” Hux stood up and collected his clothes.

Poe watched him, feeling uneasy. He had finally gotten valuable intel out of Hux, but it left the ashen taste of failure on his tongue. Everything they had sacrificed to fight the Order, and it still wasn’t enough—they still had an ace up their sleeve. Starkiller had been a brutal demonstration of power. The fact that the Order had thought two steps ahead was… it made him feel like he was the naive rebel his old commanders thought him to be.

His mind was numb as Hux put on his clothes. He knew he should ask more questions, but the thought of another Starkiller, of another Hosnian System… it was too much to process.

“Good night, Commander.”

Poe licked his dry lips. “Good night, Hugs.”


	10. Down in the Doldrums

Bodkin and Poe met up with Naru the following morning. Poe had barely slept because of Hux’s news. An endless night of tossing and turning had only made him more determined than ever to find his friends and outwit the pirates as well as the Order. As frustrating as it was, there was nothing he could do about those things in the present moment. He and his companions just had to bide their time before transport could be arranged. The least they could do was say thank you to their hosts in some way, and it would take his mind off the depressing prospect of another doomsday weapon.

To Poe’s eternal surprise, Hux appeared in the kitchen as they were peppering Naru with questions about the various dessert recipes. 

Bodkin crooked an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. She simply gave Poe a questioning look.

Poe decided to ignore it and beamed at Hux. “Hugs! So very good of you to join us!”

“It is too early to endure your intolerable good mood, Commander,” replied Hux dryly.

Bodkin chuckled and turned her attention to Naru. “Do you have some kind of cookbook we could use?”

Naru nodded. “Of course, but it’s written in our native language. I’d be happy to translate the recipe for you.”

“Okay, so… we thought of baking a cake. Can you tell us what kind of ingredients the cookbook recommends?” she asked.

Half an hour later, they—or rather Bodkin and Poe—had agreed to try their hand at Naxu’neshu cake.

“I love the idea of making a booze cake,” exclaimed Bodkin with a wide grin. 

“The alcohol will evaporate in the oven, Miss Bodkin,” Hux said matter-of-factly.

“Damn it!”

Poe laughed. “Let’s try to make a small one first to see if it’s anything like the cakes we usually eat.”

Naru and Hux headed out to retrieve the required supplies and ingredients. Bodkin nudged Poe as soon as they were alone. “How did you get him to join us?” Her suggestive smile was pretty clear.

Poe decided to play along. “You know me, I can charm the hair off a Wookie.”

She laughed. “So I see. Stars, you really stop at nothing, huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied with a feeble smile. He didn’t like the insinuation that he—but it was the truth, wasn’t it? He had slept with Hux because he needed intel, right?

“Playing coy, huh? Okay, I get it.”

Thankfully, Hux and Naru appeared carrying palm sugar, oro eggs and something that looked like flour.

Poe was grateful for the distraction and rubbed his hands together. “Okay, let's have a go at that cake!”

They started to mix the ingredients according to the cookbook. Poe kneaded the dough while Bodkin fired up the oven. With a furrowed brow, Hux cut the fruit as if he was handling volatile nitroplasma.

When it was time to add the sliced fruit, Poe noticed that Hux had been very meticulous about it. Each slice was the same size as the next. A tease formed on his lips, but Poe held back. Perhaps now wasn’t the moment to antagonize Hux. He had, afterall, pulled himself together enough to help in the baking.

Bodkin scraped the batter with the fruit into a pan and popped it into the oven. She wiped her hands and said: “We should have a look after 20 minutes or so.”

Naru clapped. “This is so exciting! How about a cup of coco water while we wait?”

“That would be great!” Poe smiled and helped Naru place the mugs on the table. “How are things with Lindu, by the way?”

“Good, thank you. We’re making good progress with the nest.”

“What about kids?” asked Bodkin. “I mean, is adoption a thing?”

“Truth be told, I’m warming up to the idea. Seeing all these younglings in their molt makes me want to pass on my knowledge and experience.”

Poe noticed a pensive look on Hux’s face; he looked at Naru as if he wanted to ask something, only to remain silent.

“I bet you would be a great father,” said Poe and patted Naru’s shoulder. 

The Rishii chuckled. “Well, I’d certainly try my best.”

Bodkin lifted her mug in a salute. “Well, you’re braver than I am. No kids for me, thank you very much.”

Poe rubbed his chin. “I admit, I’ve never really thought about it. Perhaps after the war and with the right partner.”

Hux shifted in his seat. “You assume the war will end in your favour? You really are a hopeless optimist.”

Poe leaned back and gave him a cocky smile. “I’m a realist.”

“You guys are so focused on your war, you forget that the majority of the galaxy doesn’t care who is in charge,” said Bodkin before pushing her chair back to glance into the oven. “Looks good—I would give it another five minutes.”

“Such a commemorable moment, and I don’t have my holo to record it—a collaboration of the First Order, the Resistance, and uh, neutral forces,” said Poe before taking a gulp of his coco water.

“Of course you would celebrate before you even know the outcome,” quipped Hux.

“It’s about the gesture, Hugs. It’s in moments like these where I believe we can all work together to create a brighter, peaceful—”

“One more word and I’m going to punch your throat,” snorted Bodkin.

Naru followed the exchange with visible amusement. “Oh, you offworlders are so curious! One can never tell if you’re serious or not.”

“I’m afraid the Commander is always joking, Mr. Naru.”

“Yeah, I’m with Red on this one.”

Poe ignored their teasing and got up to check on the cake. By this time it had developed the lovely golden brown color on top that indicated that it was done. He used the heat isolated gloves and placed the cake on the table for everyone’s inspection.

They waited for a few minutes before they cut the cake.

“The smell is not bad,” said Bodkin, who took a tentative bite into the still hot pastry. She immediately coughed and almost spit it back out. “Stars! It tastes like old socks.”

Poe and Hux took a careful bite too and grimaced.

“I concur with Miss Bodkin.”

The taste of the fruit was indeed too strong. In fact, it almost tasted like disinfectant. “Ugh, we need to refine the recipe.” 

“Well, if you say so. A pity. I was really looking forward to this,” said Naru and exhaled.

Poe glared at the cake. Dammit—it wasn’t even close to being good. “Are there other berries or fruits we could use?”

“Not really… no. This island doesn’t have many berries and fruits that aren’t poisonous for mammals.” Naru shrugged. “The trader usually brings us a variety of different food products, but that’ll be too late for you guys.”

“Well, too bad—it was worth a shot,” said Bodkin and gulped down the rest of her drink. “I’m going for a swim.”

“Wait! We can try to make another one,” Poe called after her.

She gave him an air-kiss. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

Poe sighed. “Perhaps we should take a break before having another go.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose. It irked him that they hadn’t succeeded. They had wasted Naru’s time and food resources for a silly thing like a cake.

“The oven is already hot and we need to work on the mixing ratio of the batter,” said Hux. 

Of course Hux wouldn’t give up. “Alright, alright.”

***

Three hours later, Poe was ready to blow—the combined heat of the oven and the outside made their task especially arduous. He had already sweat through his shirt. It was clinging uncomfortably to his back. Bodkin had appeared and disappeared from time to time to check on them.

Naru had excused himself because of another obligation to the village, and thus Poe and Hux were mostly alone. 

They had agreed to make only tiny cupcakes to reduce the waste. Hux looked as if he were ready to pass out as he reached for another cake to try. His face was covered in a film of sweat and there were dark stains under his arms. 

Poe had splashed water in his face from time to time and drank so much water that he was rushing to pee every hour. When he returned from one of his trips, he noticed with a frown that Hux’s water glass was not only empty, but also dry.

“When was the last time you had some water?”

Hux didn’t even look up from the batter he was mixing. “That is hardly of any relevance considering our task.”

Poe grabbed the nearby water jug and poured Hux some. “Come on, dehydration is no joke in this heat.” He put his hand on Hux’s forehead. “You’re burning up! That’s it—we’re going for a swim. We can continue this later.”

Hux swatted his hand away in annoyance. “What are you doing?” he hissed.

Stars, why was he always so kriffing complicated? “Making sure that you don’t collapse from heat stroke! At least take off that shirt of yours. Look at you, your skin is all red and clammy. I bet you have a headache too.”

Hux lifted his chin. “We need to complete the task first. Leisure can wait.”

“Leisure? In case you haven’t noticed: we’re not on a First Order command ship. We’re on an island in a muggy hut trying to bake  _ cake _ .” Poe wiped sweat off his face. “Let’s go.”

Hux frowned a little, then slowly got up. “If you insist,” he said in a low voice and drank the water Poe had poured for him. It wasn’t the same clipped tone from before—he sounded softer. Before heading out, Poe grabbed the small bottle of coconut milk cream Naru had handed him earlier. Apparently the Rishii had some experience with light-skinned mammals.

Stepping out of the hut was already a huge improvement. The fresh air and mild wind were refreshing. Poe took his shirt off and exhaled. “This is so much better.”

“I admit that the temperature is more agreeable.”

They ventured to the beach and waded into the water. It was not cold enough to provide a decent cooling, but it felt good to wash off the sweat. Poe dived in and swam a few meters, enjoying the weightless sensation. After a while he circled back to Hux who was still in waist-deep water, carefully washing his arms and using his wet hands to slick back his hair.

“How about a swimming contest? I bet you would enjoy proving your superiority to rebel scum.”

“Superiority of mind can hardly be proven by a childish swimming contest.”

“Of course it can—haven’t you heard the saying about a healthy mind that resides in a healthy body or something like that?”

“Seeing as you call your fighter  _ Iron Butterfly _ , I would question your mental fitness.”

“Says the man flying around in ships called  _ Deathix  _ and  _ Murdermachine _ . Seriously, what is it with you guys and all those martial names?”

A smile flashed over Hux’s lips. “You mean the  _ Fulminatrix  _ and  _ Finalizer _ .”

“Close enough, I mean… were  _ Crucifer  _ and  _ Eraser  _ already taken? So don’t talk trash about my  _ Butterfly _ .”

Hux laughed and turned to leave. Poe swam alongside him. “One of these days you’ll have to race me.”

They sat down in the shadow of a palm and looked out over the water. Hux poured some coconut sun lotion on his hands and applied it carefully.

Poe’s mind returned to the last evening. He took a small twig and started to draw patterns in the sand. “So, about the new Starkiller. I take it that you are again in charge?”

“That’s the plan.”

“You don’t sound enthusiastic.”

“That’s not a requirement in the military.”

Poe glanced at him; he was sitting cross legged, sand covering his long legs and thighs. The infamous General Hux. The longer he knew him, the less he seemed to be the screaming man from the holos. “Maybe.”

“Don’t you want to say it? ‘Variation is the spice of life—of course you would get bored after wiping out five planets, Hugs.’”

Poe averted his gaze and continued to draw the pattern on the sand. “I never thought that it bothered you. The killing, I mean.”

“I did what was necessary, but it doesn’t mean that I—” he broke off. “I thought it would be enough. I thought the peace was worth the price.”

“The weapon to end all wars, huh?” 

“Something like that.” Hux wiped sand off his legs. “The Supreme Leader disagreed on that point of course.”

“Which one? Snoke or Ren?”

“Both. Perhaps I was caught up in that fantasy of mine… that I would be the one to stop it all. Perhaps Snoke believed in it too. I was never privy to his thoughts. Ren has become quiet on his plans since his ascension to the throne.” He sighed. “Force users are difficult leaders.”

“General Organa isn’t like that.”

“Oh?”

“She is level-headed and open to discussion. But I guess you won’t believe me.”

“You’re right, I don’t.”

Poe opened his mouth and closed it again. He wanted to ask him if he would do it again—but what for? It had been a monstrous, unforgivable crime. He studied the beautiful, smart man in front of him… Poe needed to know. “Do you regret it?”

Hux pressed his lips together.

“Starkiller I mean, do—”

“I heard you.” Hux drew a breath. “It’s a pointless question. It doesn’t matter if I regret it or not. People are dead—nothing will ever change that.” He looked down on his hands. “Nothing I do or say will bring them back to life.”

He was right of course. Something tugged at the edge of his mind. Hux being reluctant to build another Starkiller… openly criticising Ren… offering the pirates old intel. “Ren has demoted you, hasn’t he?”

Hux scoffed. “Ever since General Pryde took over, I’m no longer welcome in the War Council.”

“Building another Starkiller would prove your loyalty, wouldn’t it?”

Hux glanced at him, licking his dry lips. “We should get back and finish the task at hand.”

***

Returning to the overheated hut wasn’t exactly a joy, and it didn’t help that they needed five more attempts to perfect the fruit to batter ratio. At least now they had a cake that was palatable. 

Poe mulled over their discussion at the beach and was rather quiet as they cleaned up their baking mess. He was certain that Hux regretted it. He must regret it—he’s a human being after all. And of course he couldn’t say that he wouldn’t build another one—it depended on whether he returned to the Order or not. 

He just had to make sure that Hux was delivered into the hands of the Resistance. Yes, it was of the utmost importance to bring him in. And then—

“One advantage of this infernal heat is that it seems to have silenced you,” said Hux, interrupting his thoughts. He was wiping the flour off the table into a small pot.

“Huh?” Poe looked at him, and for a moment he thought he saw a brief smile playing on the other man’s lips. Perhaps the heat was playing tricks on him.

“It only shows I’m more resilient than you, Commander,” continued Hux.

It took Poe a few moments to realise that Hux was actually trying to banter with him. He must be bored. “I’m only giving you a break, Hugs. All that heat might melt your heart of ice, and we can’t have that. I wouldn’t want to give you a heart attack by irking you too much.” He took the broom and began sweeping the floor.

“Provided that your wit could cut deep enough—as it is, I’m afraid that your blade is a bit dull for that.”

“Awww, you wound me, Hugs. You know, if said dull blade is hot enough, it can cut through frozen bantha butter if need be, not to mention a piece of ice.”

Hux used a wet rag to clean the table. “How is a piece of bantha butter harder than a block of ice?”

“Have you ever tried to put cold butter on a slice of bread? I swear it’s tougher than durasteel.”

A smile appeared on Hux lips. “Of course Rebel scum wouldn’t use margarine like civilised people.”

“Says the man who doesn’t use a tidy tea bag and instead uses a bunch of dry leaves to make tea.”

Hux gasped and was about to give a lengthy rebuttal about the superiority of tea eggs when Bodkin sauntered in.

“Did you guys finally perfect the recipe? Took you long enough.”

Poe threw his arms in the air. “No thanks to you! Where were you?”

She shrugged. “Napping—it’s too hot to do anything.”

“And yet we managed to keep working next to an  _ oven _ . Your work ethic is non-existent, Miss Bodkin.”

“Work ethic is for suckers, Red. Nobody says thank you after you busted your ass on an assignment.”

“Service and work is it’s own reward,” replied Hux without a hint of irony in his voice.

“Besides, you didn’t need my help. You guys did just fine.”

Poe put the broom away and wiped his hands on his pants. “We’re done for today. We’ll need your help tomorrow though if we’re going to bake for the whole village.”

“Ugh, okay.” Bodkin grimaced. “I also recommend that you two take a bath or something—you reek.”

“Not by choice, Miss Bodkin. Deodorant wasn’t exactly a top priority as we fled the pirates. It seemed more important to get away than to smell nice,” said Hux with a crooked eyebrow.

“And I thought women were attracted by pheromones and a nice musky, male scent,” added Poe.

“Dream on, curly,” deadpanned Bodkin as she walked out the door.

***

Poe returned to his hut and gave himself and his clothes a thorough washing. He considered going to the beach while his clothes dried. He was still in possession of the swim trunks afterall, so he would have something to wear to the beach and around the village.

On the other hand, he was beat. Perhaps a nap would be the best thing. Resignedly, he crawled into bed and was asleep in a matter of minutes.

He was above D’Qar, flying towards the First Order fleet. He tried to steer away, to change course, but he couldn’t. He tried to comm the Rebel fleet to tell them to cancel the attack, but as much as he pressed the call button, nothing happened.

Suddenly he was on the Rebel base. Finn was watching Rey train with General Organa. He stood next to him. Poe grabbed him by his arm. “Finn, I’m sorry—”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Finn with a smile and such warmth in his eyes that it hurt, “we made it.”

Poe turned to watch Rey again, but the scene before him had changed. Now Hux was in her place, busy at target practice. Wait, since when was he on the Rebel base? Had he come to his senses and left the Order? Now he could kiss him whenever—

Poe woke with a start, wiping over his face. He had that uneasy feeling he always got when he dreamed about his stupid stunt. And now Hux was popping up in his dreams—at least that part of the dream had been pleasant.

He got up and checked on his clothes. They were almost dry.

What was BB-8 doing right now? And Finn? Were they still searching for him? Were they fighting for their lives without him knowing? Kriff. Only two days left before the trader arrived. He started pacing. Then he put his clothes on—they would dry quickly enough—and headed out. Judging from the daylight it was almost dinner time.

He wasn’t hungry though—likely it was all that cake he tasted earlier.

Poe rolled his shoulders back and lifted his chin. Then he went to Bodkin’s hut and knocked on the door. “Wakey, wakey, are you ready for dinner?” He said with a cheery voice. He felt a little ill. Yes, definitely the cake.


	11. Sailing Close to the Wind

That night, they ate a light supper at a small table in the village square. The Rishii were busy with a ritual for the younglings, and were currently flying over their heads. The flapping of their large wings caused Poe to look up from time to time.

“Oh man, imagine having the ability to fly like that,” he sighed. “It’s the dream.”

Bodkin chuckled. “No more tedious walking… yeah, I could get used to that. Do you think flying is as exhausting as walking?”

“Nah, they can glide on air currents. I bet it’s easier.”

“Yet their weapons require a huge amount of strength,” said Hux. “Flying is probably more of a labour than you think, Commander.”

Bodkin leaned back in her chair. “So, the trader is supposed to come the day after tomorrow. Any ideas on how we want to play it?”

Poe frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Duh, do we bribe him? Do we appeal to his good heart? What if he has a deal with the pirates?”

“Simple—we will tell him that we are stranded on the island without funds but can compensate him handsomely when we arrive at our destination.” Hux pushed his empty plate away.

“Yeah? And what if he refuses?”

“Then we have to commandeer his ship by all necessary means.”

Bodkin grinned. “Now that’s what I’m talking about, Red.”

“Hm, we should arm ourselves with knives,” mused Poe. “But if he has a blaster, we have a problem.”

“Then we’ll use the element of surprise,” said Hux with a crooked eyebrow.

Poe nodded and beamed at his companions. “Seems that we’ve got it covered. I mean, what could go wrong, huh?” Apart from being blasted into pieces by a crook with a blaster of course, thought Poe to himself.

***

After dinner they talked until the deep rumbling of thunder could be heard in the distance. The wind had picked up, and it seemed as if a major storm was brewing. 

Poe was feeling tired. Thoughts of BB-8 and Finn plagued him, making him feel uneasy. He wasn’t in the mood to smile and joke, so he said his goodbyes and returned to his hut. He closed the door behind him and went straight to the bathroom sink. As he brushed his teeth, he stared dumbly at his reflection.

He was newly tanned and looked surprisingly healthy—but he had no business looking like that. His friends were out there fighting against the First Order, and he was here, bathing on a beach and having relations with someone he was supposed to hate. No, not hate… General Organa didn’t fight because she hated the Order. She fought because she wanted to protect what she loved. Just like Rose.

He went to the bed and sprawled carelessly onto it, staring aimlessly up at the ceiling. 

It was much easier when he didn’t know Hux—when he could pretend that he was barely human. Before he knew that he was witty, before he noticed his green eyes, before he actually started to like him.

Like him… the thought had crept up on him and was in his mind before he could forbid himself to even think it. But it was true, damn it. Of course it helped if he had good relations with him in order to get him to spill secrets, but it was more than that. He was attracted to him. Simple as that. Bodkin’s assessment was spot on; he was handsome and smart, funny even—

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He exhaled. Somehow he knew that it was Hux—perhaps it was the short but effective rap. For a very brief moment he debated on whether or not to answer the door. Should he pretend to be asleep to prove his resolve, or should he just answer and give in to the inevitable? After the second knock he got up and opened the door.

Hux was almost standing in parade rest. “Commander, I wanted to remind you that we need to gather tomorrow first thing in the morning for our assignment.”

Poe noticed that his treacherous heartbeat quickened. “Got it.”

Hux shifted from one leg to another. “I’ll check on you tomorrow since you likely lack the discipline to get up early enough.”

Poe decided to respond to the rather obvious attempt to provoke him. “Not everybody has a built in chronometer, Hugs.” Huh, he hadn’t thought that Hux would be bold enough to visit him. It was exciting that he would seek him out.

Hux lingered awkwardly, apparently musing about what to say next. Poe smiled and returned to his bed and sat down. Hux entered after a moment of hesitation and closed the door behind him.

“Can I help you with anything?”

Hux remained by the door, clenching his hands to fists and opening them again. “I wanted to inquire if you sought companionship tonight.”

Outside a deep rumble of thunder could be heard. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of storms, Hugs?”

Hux crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed, hesitantly reaching out, caressing Poe’s arm with his fingertips. “There is very little left to scare me.”

***

They lay in bed and listened to the storm outside; heavy raindrops fell on the roof of the hut.

Poe was spooning behind Hux, trailing his collarbone with the tip of his finger. They were both still sweaty and naked. 

Poe felt content. He liked snuggling up to the lean figure in front of him—it was odd how calm and right it felt. Perhaps it was the dim light of the lamp on the nightstand or the cacophony of the rain and the thunder that gave him this feeling of security. The irony was of course not lost on him that he should feel safe with Hux of all people. But he knew what he felt, and how it felt being with Hux. There was this sense of attraction and tenderness he had rarely experienced. Hux was soft in his touches and in the way he kissed him. How could a man like him be so soft?

“The new ventral cannons on the Resurgent-class destroyers have a more powerful yield than the old ones,” said Hux suddenly. “But it takes three seconds longer to heat them up for the first shot.”

Poe’s hand stilled on Hux's chest. “I wasn’t aware that you commissioned new weapons. Canto Bight was silent on this.”

“This was a First Order internal project. It’s essentially just a mid-life improvement of the old XX-23 turbolaser. We built a new circuitry with MB power chips to reroute auxiliary power.”

That was oddly specific. “Was it your design?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t know that you were so prolific.”

“I’m the head of the Weapon Development Department. There are a number of projects I’m overseeing.”

“What about the hyperspace tracker?”

“That too—it was an old Imperial project, but we revived it.”

Stars. The file on Hux was more than incomplete; he was more dangerous than they had anticipated. “Did you work on it too?”

Hux put his hand on Poe’s and squeezed it softly. “I rewrote some of the algorithms and constructed the network supporting Project Kolmogorov.”

Poe pulled him closer and continued caressing his collarbone with his thumb. He was supposed to push Hux away... his most dreadful enemy. The architect of countless lost battles… but he didn’t feel anger or hatred in his heart, just a gnawing sadness and bitter loss. It felt like a heavy blanket on his chest. Gone was the sense of security and contentment he had felt before.

This was a mistake. One of his many mistakes. D’Qar had been a fool’s errand from the start. His own arrogance had killed soldiers, comrades, and friends because he had thought that he was smarter, more cunning than everyone else.

Black regret burned in his lungs, making it hard to breathe. Jeza, Ruben, Nerc… all the people he saw in his nightmares. “Do you dream, Hugs?” he asked in a throaty voice.

“Everybody dreams,” said Hux quietly, letting go of Poe’s hand.

“I used to dream about Yavin a lot, but lately I can hardly remember what it was like. All I see is…” he broke off. “Sorry, I’m blathering.”

Hux turned around to face him, a smile gracing his features. He looked so… beautiful with an honest smile on his lips. Poe’s heart skipped a beat. “Some might say that blathering is your most endearing quality.”

Poe returned the smile and gave him a quick peck before turning around. To his surprise, Hux snuggled up behind him. They listened to the rain as it battered against the hut. A mournful, howling wind accompanied it.

“I dream about Starkiller,” said Hux, sending a shiver down Poe’s spine. “I can still feel the rumbling beneath my feet, the heat on my face, smell the stench of superheated plasma and burnt wood. The medic gave me stims so that I wouldn’t dream anymore, but since I was captured… well, the pirates weren’t so generous.”

Poe gulped. “Our medics offered me the same after D’Qar, but they were my friends. I felt that I owed them to remember them in my dreams.” He laughed joylessly. “Stupid, huh? As if that would bring them back or rectify my mistakes.” He paused. “Sometimes I wonder how General Organa does it. I mean, everybody makes mistakes, and yet she seems to carry on firm like a rock. She has lost so, so much and still possesses the strength to fight on.”

“You really admire her.”

“Of course. She is a galactic legend.” Poe licked his lips, remembering how disappointed she had looked when he had mutinied against Vice Admiral Holdo. It still hurt.

Hux shifted a bit behind him. “What about the Scavenger? Isn’t she strong too?”

“Her name is Rey. And oh boy; she is something else. You should have seen how she lifted the rocks back on Crait like it was nothing.” Just thinking about Rey improved his mood. “The Force is amazing,” he added as an afterthought.

“It’s not,” retorted Hux slowly. “It’s just another means to exert power. You experienced it too; you should know that it’s anything but ‘amazing’.”

Poe clocked how Hux implied that he had suffered at the hands of Force users, most likely Snoke and Kylo Ren. He reached behind him and took Hux’s hand, placing it over his chest. Hux's hand was at first limp, but then he started to caress Poe, his movements cautious but tender.

Poe started to feel sleepy. The warmth and the calming sound of the rain only made him more drowsy.

He blinked a few times, trying to force his tired brain to work again. Why was Hux even working for the likes of Snoke and Ren? Wasn’t he too smart to buy into the propaganda? His eyelids started to feel heavy. He blinked again.

If only Hux had joined the Resistance—if only he had put his mind to use for good! He was a human being, right? He could change, he could help them.

Low snoring sounds suddenly interrupted his thoughts. He glanced over his shoulder to find a sleeping, snoring Hux, his arm still wrapped protectively around Poe.

Okay—he would just rest his eyes for a bit and then he would send Hux on his way. Half a minute later he was fast asleep.

***

A sudden jerk at his side startled Poe so much that he almost tumbled out of the bed. His heart hammered against his chest as he quickly found his bearings. Hux sat upright in the bed, clenching the thin blanket in his right hand. He looked sideways at Poe.

“I—I apologize.” He tossed the blanket aside and got up quick as lightning, collecting his neatly folded clothes from the floor.

“What—what’s up?” asked Poe confused, still trying to understand what had happened. It was still dark outside and pouring the rain down. “Your snoring was adorable by the way, there is no need—”

Hux pulled up his boxers. “It’s already late. I should get back to my hut.”

Poe was tempted to invite him to stay, but then felt silly. Clearly Hux was keen on leaving. “Okay.”

Hux dressed himself before heading out the door. “Good night, Commander.”

“Good night, Hugs.”

The gust of cold wind that swept into the hut made Poe shudder. He pulled his blanket up tightly around him and turned off the light. He hadn’t noticed before how cold it was without Hux’s body heat.

***

True to his word, Hux knocked on his door at the crack of dawn. Together with Bodkin they ventured to Naru’s kitchen to start baking the cakes before the sun and heat became too taxing. 

“Please tell me that this is the last one,” groaned Bodkin as she put a cake into the oven.

“It is, Miss Bodkin. According to our calculations it should be enough.”

“Thank the stars! I’m ready to pass out!” She went to the table and downed a glass of water.

Poe laughed and let himself fall into a chair. “I hope they like the taste of our blood, sweat and tears in these cakes.”

Bodkin’s lekku twitched as she started to fan herself. “So, I bet you guys didn’t sleep much last night.”

Hux blushed immediately and Poe quickly said: “You mean because of the storm? I have seen worse.”

Bodkin poured herself another glass of water. “Of course because of the storm, duh! I prayed to every entity out there that the Rishii put up lightning rods! Stars, I hate the loud claps of thunder.”

Hux started to clean the kitchen. “In fact, they have a sophisticated system of—”

“Now you tell me! I could have used that little nugget of wisdom yesterday!” exclaimed Bodkin. She watched him wipe the table and pointed at him. “Will you look at that, Mr. High-and-Mighty actually doing the humiliating work usually reserved for low-lifes.”

“In fact, he did that yesterday. You were uh, just slacking off somewhere and didn’t see how we busted our asses in this sauna.”

“Well, that was only because I didn’t think we could pull it off.”

Poe put his hands on his hips. “That’s not really an excuse, you know.”

Bodkin shrugged. “Whatever—in a matter of minutes we’ll be done and I’ll be heading to the beach with a nice cool glass of coconut water.”

“Sounds like a great idea—I’ll join you,” said Poe. There wasn’t anything else to do anyway. He might as well try to get his mind off the coming troubles. “Come on, Hugs. Time to get rid of that pasty white face of yours. I bet a tan would do wonders to your complexion.”

Hux looked at him with an odd expression on his face. Then he straightened his back and said in a calm voice: “I’m not quite finished with my preparations for tomorrow, Commander. Seeing as it’s almost noon, it isn’t prudent to expose oneself to the sun anyway.”

Poe was surprised at his reluctance. Up until now he had always joined them. He smiled awkwardly. “What preparations? We’ve got nothing but the clothes on our back and with any luck, a couple of knives.”

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Commander” replied Hux smoothly.

“Alright,” said Poe reluctantly.

They finished cleaning up and stored the last cake in the pantry for later. Hux gave them a curt nod and headed towards the village while Bodin and he walked to the beach.

“I hope you’re ready to pay up once we’re out of here, Poe.”

“Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about the 3,000 credits.”

She laughed. “Good boy. But I guess you only owe me 2,990 credits, seeing as you have won our bet.”

He frowned. “What—”

“I’m not blind you know. Your General blushed harder than a Jedi Padawan in a brothel. Kudos to the both of you for keeping up the bickering as if nothing happened.” She laughed again.

Poe decided that the best defense was a good offense. He made an effort to grin at her. “What can I say? Nobody can resist me.”

She slapped him on the upper arm. “You’re horrible.” She gave him a mock salute. “Anything for the cause, right? I hope you got good intel for your effort.”

He didn’t like how casually she talked about their relations. It made him feel… he didn’t know what that odd feeling was that buried itself in his gut.

They reached the beach and Poe stared out into the water. He shouldn’t have said that nobody could resist him. It was too… flippant.

“Hey, you alright?” asked Bodkin.

He looked at her open, friendly face and he was tempted to tell her about that strange feeling that had taken hold of him. No, he couldn’t. He cleared his throat and forced himself to smile. “I think the heat is getting to me. Let’s go for a swim!”

***

After a refreshing dip in the water, they lounged in the shadow of a palm, waiting to dry. Despite having bathed only minutes ago, Poe was hot again. His thoughts returned to Hux. Should he check on him? It made sense. Just to make sure that he wasn’t up to no good. He got up and started to dress himself.

“Really? We barely got here and it’s so damn hot,” groaned Bodkin.

“Just checking on Hugs,” replied Poe as he pulled his pants up. “I mean, what kind of preparations could he possibly have to do? I don’t like it.”

Bodkin fanned herself. “He’s just messing with you to show us that he’s superior to us. And you’re falling for it.”

Poe grabbed his shirt and threw it around his neck without putting it on. He chewed on his lower lip. Was Bodkin right? It certainly seemed a possibility. “Still, I better have a look.”

Bodkin waved him off as he began the trek back. 

Thinking about it, she was probably right. After all, Hux had started to act out after she had mocked him for helping out in the kitchen. It was possible that he was inspecting the Rishii warriors or something that would give him the feeling that he was still a high and mighty General.


	12. Trimming the Sails

Poe asked after Hux in the village without success, so finally settled on dropping by the man’s hut. He answered after the first knock. He was clad in only his trousers, and was holding his shirt in his hands. Poe took in his slim chest and bony shoulders. In response, Hux lifted the shirt a bit to cover his body from Poe’s gaze. Odd, he had seen him countless times.

“There you are, Hugs. I was looking for you.”

“I take it you were concerned about my preparations, Commander.” He sighed and returned to his bed, sitting down. His voice was clipped—something was missing from it, but Poe couldn’t put his finger on what exactly that was

“You know me, I’m curious,” he said as he stepped inside, having a look around. “So, what are you up to?” He stepped closer to Hux and saw that there was a needle with a thread sticking out of his shirt. 

“Since we’re returning to town, I thought it would be prudent to make sure that my clothes aren’t too conspicuous. I’m trimming them.” He turned his attention to the shirt and continued to sew.

Poe frowned—that was not what he had expected. “Huh, didn’t think you would know how to do that.”

“The standard issued uniform at the academy never fit me properly, so I had to commission a seamstress or do it myself.”

“You’ve got all these hidden talents, Hugs! I’m impressed.” He smiled. “I need to update your file once I get back to the Resistance. Any other skills I should know about?”

“No.” Hux finished his work and cut the thread before slipping on the shirt. It was actually a good fit; slim around the waist and more spacious around the shoulders. Its shape reminded Poe of a First Order uniform. Hux put the sewing kit aside and grabbed one of his boots. Only now did Poe realise that he was barefooted. 

Hux took a rag and started to clean the boot.

“Come on, Hugs, are you serious? There is no need to polish your footwear. We are in the middle of nowhere, even if we get back—”

“I don’t expect you to understand the value of proper clothing, Commander,” interrupted Hux. Again Poe registered a lack of emotion. What was going on? Was Hux trying to distance himself from their usual familiar tone?

Poe cleared his throat. “What’s up with all this prim and proper talk?” And when he saw Hux’s glare he added: “And don’t tell me it’s nothing. I know you, something is up.”

Hux didn’t reply, he just continued to clean the boot. Poe shifted his weight from one leg to another. Hux was again all clammed up. Was it because of the kitchen thing? Whatever the cause, he didn’t like it. There was something sad about Hux sitting here all alone in his hut while he and Bodkin had enjoyed an afternoon at the beach.

Poe gulped and sat down next to him, grabbing the other boot from the floor. He still didn’t understand why Hux wanted to clean his boots, but it seemed very important to him. Might as well help him. Hux’s eyes went wide when Poe took another rag and started to clean the mud off the heel. 

“We’re faster this way, Hugs. If you want, we can go to the beach after we’ve finished. Just the two of us. I’ll go get some of that coconut milk so you don’t burn, okay?”

Hux stared at him, then blinked and directed his gaze back to the boot in his hand. “You confuse me,” he said quietly.

“How so?”

Hux blinked again. “At times you seem to—you don’t seem to despise me. You have this soft, lingering touch when you caress me at night.” His voice sounded brittle. “I’m so stupid. I always think that you mean it. I  _ know  _ that it’s just something you do in the comfort of the night. But a small part of me hopes—” he broke off. 

Poe’s throat suddenly laced up—there was something akin to a knot forming in his stomach. “I do like you,” he said before he could stop himself.

Hux drew a shaky breath. “Don’t lie to me. You can barely stand my ‘pasty’ face and my scrawny physique. You say it often enough. I know that I’m disgusting. I just wish you wouldn’t rub it in.”

Realisation made Poe blanch. All these times he had called him names and made fun of his looks and he hadn’t even realised it, thought of it as a joke...

He put his hand on Hux’s arm. “Hey,” he said softly. “You  _ are _ handsome. I was an idiot, okay? I was only trying to tease you. That’s our thing, isn’t it?” He leaned in and gave him a tender kiss.

Hux blinked again, then straightened his back. “Yes, yes of course.” He made a visible effort to smile. “It seems that your rebel sentimentality is rubbing off.”

Poe squeezed Hux’s arm reassuringly. “That’s why it was smart to self-isolate today, Hugs. You have to be careful, otherwise you’ll even start to wear clothes with more than one colour.” Hux exhaled shakily as Poe tossed him a teasing smirk. They continued their work in a companionable silence.

***

The sun and the heat were much more agreeable when they visited the beach in the late afternoon. Poe swam a few lengths before he returned to Hux who was hesitantly wading into the waist-deep water.

“You still owe me a race, Hugs,” laughed Poe. “Come on, it will be fun. Let’s say… who makes it first to the shadow of that palm at the end of the bay.”

Hux sighed. “Sometimes you’re surprisingly dense. I can’t swim.”

“Huh?”

“Have you seen me swim all these times when we were at the beach? And here I thought you had a semblance of deductive skills.”

Poe stopped swimming and stood next to Hux. “I admit the thought never occurred to me.”

“It’s part of the naval tradition of the Order. Sailors can’t swim so that they’ll defend their ship to their last breath.”

“What? That’s idiotic.”

Hux shrugged. “There is not much need for swimming skills in space.”

“This is valuable intel, Hugs. Now all we have to do is lure you all onto some water planet and drown you like nexu kittens.”

“That’s a common misconception. Nexu are good swimmers—they’re just not fond of water.”

They waded out of the water and sat down in the warm sand naked. Hux took the coconut milk and applied some on his skin. Poe glanced at Hux—even in the evening sun his hair looked radiant. “I love your hair, by the way.”

Hux frowned. “What?”

“I mean it.” Poe leaned over and gave him a peck on his mouth. “I might have a weakness for gingers.”

Hux hesitantly reached out and let his hand glide over Poe’s chest. He blushed a bit. “And I might have a weakness for dark-haired sweet talkers.”

“Talk is not all I can do with my mouth,” whispered Poe and kissed him again.

“What if somebody sees us?” asked Hux, a blush creeping up his cheeks. 

Poe chuckled against his mouth. “We’re alone. Don’t worry.” He straddled Hux and nibbled at his neck.

Hux’s breath quickened. “I have never done this in public.” There was shame, excitement, and arousal audible in his voice.

“Do you want to go back back to a hut?” asked Poe in a low voice. He started to grind against Hux, eliciting a moan from him. “I want to see you in broad daylight. Your hair looks radiant in the sun, like a crown of fire… it suits you well.”

“It’s not right to do it here.” 

Poe peppered his neck, his shoulders, and his chest with featherlight kisses. “But it feels right, it feels  _ good _ , doesn’t it? We don’t have to hide in the shadows.” The thought of seeing Hux in all his glory in broad daylight aroused him. The strict General, coming undone in plain sight. He could feel how his dick stiffened at the thought.

Hux sweared under his breath. He wouldn’t admit it, but it turned him on. He wanted to be seen. Poe lowered his gaze and saw that Hux already sported a raging erection. His own dick was stiff too, brushing against Hux’s cock. “A beautiful view, don’t you think?”

The other man glanced downwards. “Stars.”

Poe kissed him again. “You are beautiful. So big and handsome.”

Hux moaned. “No, I—”

“Yes, yes of course you are. Let me show you.” Poe slid off Hux and settled behind him. He pulled him onto his lap so that his own cock was caught under Hux, brushing enticingly against his balls. He squeezed coconut milk on his hands and smeared it on Hux’s stomach and his thighs, leaving the engorged cock unattended.

“Just making sure that you don’t burn, Hugs,” he whispered in Hux’s ear, nibbling at his earlobe. 

Hux groaned, leaning into Poe. “This is n—not appropriate.”

“I’m all about appropriate, General. That’s why I take care not to touch you indecently.” He moved his hand between Hux’s legs. With delight he registered that Hux spread his legs so that he could better access his cock. He cupped his balls and massaged them softly. “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to,  _ sir _ .”

Hux huffed in frustration. “I need you to touch me.”

Poe crooked an eyebrow. “Oh? Where? Where do you need me to touch you?”

Hux squirmed a little. “You know where.”

He couldn’t say it. Still so prim and proper. “Tell me or I won’t know what you mean.”

“Touch me down there!” hissed Hux, sounding aroused and impatient. He grabbed Poe’s leg and squeezed it, pushing himself a bit up from Poe’s lap, presenting his throbbing cock. 

“Alright.” He let go of Hux’s balls and grabbed Hux’s firm asscheeks. He spread them apart and pressed his slick middle finger against his entrance. Hux clenched up and gasped for air. 

“That’s not what I wanted,” he panted. 

Poe crooked his finger and massaged Hux’s tight hole. “You were so...” he increased the pressure, “so imprecise in your wishes.” With one final push his first digit was in. Poe took his time to massage, to work his way into Hux, kissing his neck and his back with tender kisses.

Poe glanced over Hux’s shoulder and saw that being fingered did nothing to dispel Hux’s arousal. On the contrary, his dick was fully erect, bobbing slightly to Poe’s rhythm. “So beautiful,” Poe whispered and continued his ministrations. He slowly introduced another finger. 

“Wh—what?” Hux was coarse, his breath ragged.

“Look how beautiful you are. Your lovely ginger hair and your exquisite, big dick.”

Hux shyly glanced down at himself, observing the precum leaking freely from his tip. The sight made him blush. Poe couldn’t help but feel on the cusp of cumming from just the look on his face. “Don’t look away—don’t you see how magnificent you are?”

Hux squeezed his eyes shut and moaned. “It’s dirty. I’m dirty.”

Poe withdrew his fingers and coated his own throbbing, hot dick with coconut milk. He lifted Hux’s ass just enough so that he could position his cock on his slick entrance. Hux was now delightfully flustered and moaned when the tip brushed against his hole.

Just as Poe was about to tell him to take it easy, Hux lowered himself and Poe’s dick slipped inside his hot ass. Hux moaned so loudly that Poe was quite certain that they could be heard all the way up in the village.

“So eager,” he whispered in Hux’s ear. “It’s wonderful out here in the light, isn’t it? You don’t mind that people could see us?”

Hux whined. “Please, I don’t want somebody to see us. Make it quick. I need… I need to cum.”

Hearing those words sent a shiver of lust down Poe’s spine and directly into his cock. Stars, Hux was so tight, hot, and wet. But he had to wait a bit longer. He needed to hear it. “Tell me what you want me to do.”

“Touch me!”

“Where?”

“My prick, touch me—”

Poe grabbed his dick and gave it a jerk. Hux huffed and moaned, his eyes still screwed shut. “Why didn’t you just say so?”

“Please, make me cum.”

He jerked again. “I will, but I need you to look at it. I want you to see how beautiful you are.” He stroked him again and stilled his hand.

Hux tore his eyes open and looked down on his own red, fully engorged cock. Poe started to jerk him off at a fast pace, and moments later Hux came, spurting white ropey cum all over the sand.

Poe continued to pull at his big dick until he was completely spent. He kissed him again. “You are ravishing, especially in the sunlight.”

Hux was out of breath and blushed even harder than before. Poe couldn’t take it anymore and turned him on all fours. Then he fucked him with abandon until he shot his hot cum inside him. 

They both collapsed, gasping for air. 

After Hux had caught his breath again, he quickly looked around. He relaxed when he saw that they were still alone.

“That was great,” said Poe, crossing his arms contentedly behind his head. 

“It was dirty and inappropriate,” said Hux. He sounded indignant, but the small smile that played on his lips told another story.

“That’s what made it so great.”

“We should head back to the huts and clean up,” said Hux, rising to his feet.

Poe grabbed him by the hips and pulled him back on the sand. “You need to pay a toll before you can leave, Nexu.”

Hux let himself fall back and ran his hand through Poe’s hair before kissing him. “Nexu? Really?” 

“Why not? You’re capricious and arrogant, but that only adds to your charm.” He playfully slapped him on the ass. “Shoo.”

“One of these days I will teach you about respecting a superior officer,” said Hux with a chuckle. “But first we need to prepare the cakes for dessert.”

***

The cakes were a resounding success, much to Poe’s surprise. He had considered them to be a nice gesture, but the Rishii were absolutely thrilled and even gifted them several colourful feathers. He had no idea what it meant, but from the solemn way they were presented he gathered that it carried great significance.

Lindu was so moved that he sang a song usually reserved for hunting season. It was a haunting and beautiful melody that evoked a sense of reverence in the listener. Poe felt compelled to repay the Rishii for the honours bestowed upon them.

It had been ages since he had last sung, but he felt that it was the right occasion to sing an  [ old tune ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWqJZ_uiDtM&list=PL-QG5WNVzBKvVuCoYpz3ciIJ2zbCrx_vl&index=9) he had heard often on Yavin:

“Oh it was a fine and a pleasant day   
Out of Yarmouth harbour I was faring   
As a cabin boy on a sailing logger   
We were following the shoals of herring.”

His voice was a bit rusty, but his singing grew more confident with each verse. By the end he was met with thunderous applause from the audience. Bodkin was among them who clapped the loudest. Naru was next to perform with a slow, hypnotic mating call, followed by Bodkin who sang a  [ shanty ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT76FG2EEfY) .

Poe sat next to Hux and started to sing along as soon as he heard the refrain twice. He laughed and sang, glancing from time to time at Hux who looked overwhelmed by the atmosphere, looking around wide-eyed.

“Are you alright?” whispered Poe.

“I have never seen or heard anything like this.”

“Not much singing in the Order, huh?”

“No.”

Poe continued to sing along—stars, he had forgotten how much he loved music! He couldn’t remember when he had last played his guitar. It must have been when he was last on Yavin, yes… he had left it with his parents.

He nudged Hux. “But you like music, yes?”

“I think so. I only encountered it at social gatherings during negotiations.”

Bodkin returned and pointed at Poe. “Someone sure knows how to carry a tune!”

He laughed and gave her a high five. “Sure do! You know, I used to play guitar back in the day. Too bad they don’t have any instruments here. I could play one of my famed medleys.”

“A grand performance, Miss Bodkin. Will you sing another song?”

She bowed. “Why thank you, Red! Perhaps I will! You know, I always wanted to be a singer when I was a kid.”

True to her word, she returned to the town square to sing another shanty.

Poe ate a piece of cake and chuckled. “You know… all things considered, we were lucky to wind up here.”

“Being lucky is one of your many skills.”

Poe exhaled, his smile fading a bit. “What you said that one time back in the cell—you were right. It’s a nice change of pace that I’m not the only one being rescued by chance.”

“You think your luck is more of a curse?” Hux took a sip of his coconut water.

“Did you know that Han Solo made the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs? And that he survived Ewok capture, the Death Star assault, a Sarlacc pit, and was the only smuggler who ever captured a living rathar?” He paused. “A galactic legend.”

Hux frowned. “I heard stories about him. But why do you bring him up?”

“When I was new to the Resistance, I was a little star struck by him,” he admitted with a quiet chuckle. “By that time he was an old man and a gruff crank, but he was still incredible: reflexes that put pilots half his age to shame. So one day I spent all my money on a bottle of Corellian whiskey, went to him and simply asked: what’s your secret to success?.”

“Did he answer?”

“Sure did. He took the bottle, gave me a lopsided grin and said: ‘I guess I’m just a lucky guy.’ I couldn’t be mad at him… I mean, what did I expect? Well, anyway, I told General Organa about it and she laughed, just straight up laughed. ‘Oh, Han is incorrigible. There are many reasons why he’s the best at what he does. One of them is his connection to the Force.’”

Hux gaped at him. “Wait, what?”

“You know about the Force, right? Every living being is connected to it. Those with strong connections can become Sith or Jedi and whatnot. There is a grey area where people are a tad more lucky than others, or have faster reflexes than others. Turns out that I share that trait with Solo, at least according to General Organa.” He took a gulp. “I don’t know if it’s true. But it would explain why I’m still alive and others… were less lucky.”

Hux gulped, but remained silent.

“Solo’s luck didn’t last. In the end he got offed by his own  _ son _ . Imagine that.” Poe recalled Solo’s wrinkled face, his tatty leather jacket—he hadn’t looked the part, but he really had been a hero up until the end when he tried to bring Ben Solo back from the darkness.

“There are worse crimes,” said Hux in a calm voice.

Hux was right of course—Starkiller was something else entirely. “I guess sometimes I forget that you’re not on my side,” he said slowly.

“With his own bolt; the strong-based promontory   
Have I made shake, and by the spurs plucked up   
The pine and cedar; graves at my command   
Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let 'em forth   
By my so potent art.”

“What’s that?”

“Nothing, just another poem that came to mind.”

Shaking ground, uprooted trees, graves… Poe huffed. “Why is it that you can’t just say what you mean? You’re talking about Starkiller, aren’t you?”

Hux grimaced. “Songs and poems convey much more than mere words.”

“I think you’re hiding behind your fancy words.”

To his surprise, Hux smirked. “You’re lecturing me on deflecting with words? It seems I’m not the only one without any sense of irony.”

The rebuttal made Poe huff. He took a Naxu’neshu fruit and bit a piece off. “I guess we both can’t help it.”

Hux exhaled. “I meant what I said. Poems can convey feelings that are hard to put into words.”

“Poems are not really my jam. They’re too… constructed. But oddly enough, I think songs work—even though there is a kinship between poems and lyrics. Perhaps it’s the interpretation, the rhythm, the music that works better for me.” He ate the rest of the fruit and chewed slowly. He glanced at Hux who was sitting at his side, staring pensively into the fire. It was odd—sometimes it felt that the more he knew about him, the less he understood him.

***

That night they cuddled together in Poe’s bed, the small bedside lamp providing the only light in the room. Poe liked the half-darkness and how it both covered and revealed Hux at the same time. He was striking, both day and night. Stars, he really was handsome. Hux was caressing Poe’s arm. “Why don’t you have any scars?”

“I guess it’s because I’m a pilot. And a damn good one too.” Poe remembered the old scars he had seen on Hux’s back. “What about you? Were you in the infantry or something?”

Hux’s hand slowed. “The Order values discipline.” He cleared his throat. “I—my father valued discipline.”

“I’m sorry,” said Poe in a quiet voice.

“I don’t need your pity,” replied Hux in a bitter voice, pulling back his hand.

“Why not?” asked Poe softly.

Hux propped up on his elbow. “I’m not some weak-willed cadet, too soft to face adversity.”

The words didn’t sound like something Hux would say. Poe couldn’t fight the feeling that he was parroting old insults he had heard so often that he started to repeat them. “What’s so bad about pity? I mean, Bodkin reacted the same way—berating me for showing sympathy.”

“It implies weakness. Nobody would pity powerful, strong people,” replied Hux slowly as if he was talking and thinking at the same time.

Poe leaned over and kissed him. “Were you strong and powerful when this,” he reached around and brushed over Hux’s back scars, “happened?” He could feel goosebumps on Hux’s skin.

“No.”

He continued to caress Hux’s back. “Nobody can be strong all the time, Hugs. We don’t have to be.”

Hux settled back down on the bed so that Poe could continue tracing his scars. “In the Order, we have to be strong so that our rivals don’t find chinks in our armour.”

“In the Resistance we are allowed to be weak, to be ourselves. I guess that’s why you think we’re all soft.”

“Is this the moment where you try to turn me?” said Hux, gulping.

“Oh no, my master plan has been discovered,” said Poe with a chuckle, pressing a kiss on Hux’s neck. “I can’t turn you, Hugs. You know that as well as I do. There is nothing I can pitch to you that you don’t already know.”

Hux gulped again. “The AT-M6’s primary dual lasers will be updated into quadruple lasers, enhancing its firepower significantly.”

Again he was handing over intel—a look on Hux’s face caused a stab in Poe’s heart. Hux looked miserable, desperate even. Suddenly he realised why Hux was always so forthcoming after they had been together: he was paying him for being tender and kind. In Hux’s world nothing happened without strings attached. Of course he would assume this was a transaction—but he was right, wasn’t he? He was trying to gather intel.

A lump formed in Poe’s throat. He wasn’t supposed to feel bad about it and Hux wasn’t supposed to look so desperate. He wanted to tell him that he didn’t have to spill secrets to receive affection, but he still had a war to win. “When will this update happen?”

“It’s scheduled for the overhaul in six—no, five months.” Hux started to list technical specifications as Poe snuggled up to him. The lump in his throat remained.


	13. Sink or Swim

Bodkin did her best to hide her excitement, but her lekku twitched nervously as they waited at the beach for the trader to appear. Naru and Brakau had accompanied them to say their last goodbyes.

“Thank you for everything,” said Poe and patted Brakau’s shoulder. “I will come back one day and cook you a whole dinner!”

Brakau tilted her head. “Please do! We always look forward to guests!”

Poe was about to reply when a shuttle appeared in the sky. This was it! He clocked the terse expression on Hux’s face. Would he try to bolt at the first opportunity? No, he was a schemer—he wouldn’t just run off without a plan. He would stick around until he knew what’s what. Poe relaxed a bit. First things first.

The shuttle—it looked like an ancient modified BN-Freighter—landed on the beach, blowing sand into Poe’s face and ruffling the Rishiis’ feathers. He brushed the sand off his clothes when the engine died down. From the corner of his eye he saw Hux standing behind Naru. There wasn’t a grain of sand on his face. Of course he would have anticipated this and had retreated behind the tall Rishii instead of standing at the front like some nerfherder.

Bodkin rubbed her hands together as the ramp lowered and a tall red-skinned male Twi’lek appeared. She gave Poe a wide grin. “I’ve got this.”

The trader scanned Bodkin shortly before he brushed past her and addressed Brakau. “The usual?” His voice was coarse.

“Yes please—do you want to inspect our goods?”

The Twi’lek put a toothpick in his mouth and started to chew on it. “Nah, my assistant can do it.” He yelled something unintelligible over his shoulder and a younger Twi’lek stepped out of the ship. He had the same skin colour and dark marks, probably his son.

Brakau and Naru went with the younger Twi’lek into the village.

Bodkin cleared her throat. “ _ Heipu _ , friend. My companions and I were stranded on this island and we need a ride into—”

_ “Li è topo ladro, verpa?” _

Bodkin’s lekku twitched. “I don’t—”

The traders' lekkus moved slightly. He lifted his chin and was apparently waiting for something. 

Bodkin blushed and started to pick at her hands. She smiled nervously. “We would be grateful if you could give us a lift.”

The trader scoffed. “By the goddess, can’t you just answer the question?”

Bodkin frowned. “What?”

“I asked you twice if you’re a thief, and now you play dumb.”

“I guess I’m a bit out of practice—”

“ _ Tyha vacca _ ,” sighed the trader and turned to head back into the shuttle.

Poe decided to intervene. “Sir, excuse me—I think we got off on the wrong foot.”

The trader turned around. “So you’re not thieves?”

“No, we’re not.” Poe gave the man his brightest smile. “We’re stranded here and we’re looking for a way to get back into the capital or any city with a comm station. If you doubt our story, you’re welcome to verify it with Brakau.”

The Twi’lek crossed his arms. “Judging from your ratty clothes, you don’t have a credit to your name, right?”

“We don’t,” admitted Poe. “We were hoping that you would help us nonetheless. You’re obviously a seasoned trader, so I won’t waste your time by promising credits we don’t have.”

“You’re not much of a businessman, are you?”

“I’m not—but seeing as you’re our only way out, I have to warn you that we’ll pester you every time you visit this island.” He pointed at Hux. “He might not look it, being all stoic and such, but he’ll chew your ear off until you let him escape our miserable company.”

Hux straightened his posture and put his hand behind his back so that even a blind man could see that he was military. “I beg you, release me from this man,” he deadpanned in an even voice.

The trader laughed; it was a raspy, loud sound. “Alright, alright—it has been a while since I last laughed. I’ll take the two of you with me.”

Poe’s smile faded. “She’s with us,” gesturing to Bodkin.

The trader pulled his nose up. “She’s trouble. All  _ vacca  _ are. They give us a bad name.”

Bodkin looked angry and miserable at the same time. “It’s not my fault—”

“Aye, it never is, right?” hissed the trader. “People see only the skimpy dressed dancers, the cheap whores, and the greedy thieves and think that all Twi’lek are like that. Trust is everything for a trader, and because of people like you, I’ve got to prove every single damn day that I’m trustworthy!”

“I didn’t have a choice, damn it! I did what I had to to survive!”

The trader pulled the corners of his mouth down and turned his attention to Poe. “You know what  _ vacca  _ means? It means ‘cashcow’—that’s what we call Twi’lek who have forgotten about our people’s pride, our language, our rituals, about the goddess—people who value money over everything else.”

Bodkin clenched her hands to fists, tears forming in her eyes. “That’s not true!” She hissed. “I want to go to Ryloth—it’s not about money!”

The trader didn’t even look at her. “And they all want to go to Ryloth, because they think it’s easier there—because they think they don’t have to work that hard once they’re among their siblings. They don’t speak our language and they know nothing about our culture and they still expect us to roll out the red carpet everytime some low-life from Nar Shaddaa turns up.”

“I think that’s enough,” said Poe in a quiet voice.

The trader pulled his nose up. He glanced at Bodkin, who was angrily wiping tears off her cheeks, sniffling. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. And please make sure she doesn’t steal any of my merchandise.” He spit the toothpick out and headed into the shuttle.

Poe turned to face Bodkin. “Come on—we’re almost in an air-conditioned cantina sipping hard liquor with ice cubes.” He smiled at her. “The first round is on me.”

Bodkin nodded but she still looked agitated.

“I feel obligated to point out the socio-economic flaws in the traders views,” said Hux stiffly. “Every capitalist based economy needs workers to thrive. Especially a planet like Ryloth whose economy is export-based.”

Bodkin sniffled. “Yeah, kriff him and his stupid high-and-mighty bullshit.” She wiped once again over her eyes. “Asshole doesn’t know me.” She looked at Poe. “And I expect the top shelf liquor, not the cheap stuff.”

“The best I can buy with whatever meagre resources we can muster.”

***

The stench of fuel, fish, and seaweed welcomed them as they stepped out of the shuttle. Poe grimaced. “Stars, I forgot the lovely smell of civilization.”

Hux stepped next to him, squinting. “Where are we?”

The trader brushed past them, carrying a crate with fruits. “This is the main island, the blue sector.”

“Blue sector? But that’s—” groaned Bodkin.

“You’re welcome,” murmured the trader and disappeared into the busy spaceport.

“I take it that it’s not quite in the centre?” asked Poe.

“The main island is basically a continent,” explained Bodkin. “We’re several thousand kilometers from the main spaceport.”

“Certainly there are comms even in this—this blue sector, Miss Bodkin.”

“If you can find one—unless you want to nick one from one of these fellas.” She pointed at a hulking Houk cleaning his blaster with a rag. Next to him sat a Zabrak on a crate picking his tooth with a huge dagger.

“Perhaps if we ask nicely,” smirked Poe.

“Uh-huh—make sure to wait until I get a holo though so that I can record how they feed you to the crabs.”

“You are always so negative—you can’t judge someone based on their looks. These two gentlemen could be schoolteachers for all we know!”

They watched as one of the men got up; the Zabrak opened the crate and pulled a skinny Mirialan out, slapping him twice before apparently threatening him.

“On the other hand, there is the empirical evidence,” said Hux.

Poe gulped. “You think old Ash has people here?”

Bodkin shrugged. “It’s possible, but it’s not her base of operations. Either way I suggest that we leave and make a plan somewhere less in the open.”

***

They found a lonely pier in the vicinity of the market. Poe sat down and dangled his legs from the wooden floor. “Any suggestions?”

“We need credits to pay for access to a comm, food and drink,” said Hux.

Bodkin groaned. “I can’t help you there. Did you see all the nasty looks I got? People are weary of thieves, dunno why.”

Poe stared into the water below. Trash was floating in the harbour and added to the horrid smell. “What’s the rate for a meal around here?”

“The kriff do I know? But I guess… five credits?”

Hux straightened his shirt. “There seems to be a certain fondness for blasters. Everyone we met on the way here was brandishing a weapon.”

Poe exhaled. “Well, since we’ve established they’re not schoolteachers, that’s not exactly surprising.”

“Their weapons are probably modified by an ape, by the looks of it. It stands to reason that I could provide superior repairs to their erm, work tools. There were several repair stations at the market.”

“That’s... actually not a bad plan,” said Bodkin. “Can you really do that?”

Hux scoffed. “Please, I’m head of the—”

“He can do it alright,” interrupted Poe. “Let’s get to it before night falls and we dehydrate in this damn heat.”

Bodkin stayed back while Poe and Hux offered their services to the sinister clientele that used the automated repair stations to fix their blasters.

“Why should I hand my Betsy over to you, Human?” snarled a tiny Nautolan. She had more daggers hanging in her belt than tentacles on her head. 

“Because I don’t require an advance,” said Hux in his clipped Imperial accent. “If you’re satisfied with my repairs, you can pay me.”

“Alright,” she pulled an ancient blaster from her holster and handed it to Hux. “She’s a bit cranky—doesn’t shoot straight and jams at times.”

Poe watched Hux inspect the weapon. 

“A modified DL-43, a sturdy weapon with low maintenance requirements. Hm, a VG-scope,” mumbled Hux. He took the hyperspanner from the repair station and adjusted something on the hilt and the barrel. Then he inspected the plasma load before cleaning the blaster and handing it back to the Nautolan. “Try it.”

She took it and shot into an already perforated barrel next to the station and nodded approvingly. “Smooth, much smoother than before.”

“An automated station can’t provide individual repairs,” said Hux.

She shoved a credit stick into his hand. “Seems like you kept your word, pretty boy.”

“Of course, Miss.”

It was slow going, but after a couple of hours they had gathered 70 credits. They headed into the nearest cantina and ordered food and a lot of ice-cooled water. Bodkin ordered for the three of them since she was the local expert. Poe trusted her to provide them with decent food.

The waiter brought them three large plates loaded with seafood—the smell was nothing short of delicious. Hux cautiously ate a few small bites while Bodkin literally inhaled the food. Poe was halfway through his own plate when she shoved the last bite into her mouth. 

“Gotta say, you two are halfway useful,” she smirked as she ordered a round of whiskey. “We should start our own gang, the three of us.”

“Only if I get a cool nickname,” said Poe with a laugh. “We could call ourselves ‘Rishii’s Rejects’ or ‘Blue Blades.’ And I wanna be Cool Curly.”

Hux huffed. “Alliteration is not everything, ‘Commander Curly.’ Besides, I vote for a mythological reference—what about ‘Medusa’s Revenge’?”

Bodkin laughed brightly. “You guys have no sense for tradition—we should call ourselves ‘The Hanged.’ You know—after the song.”

“What song?”

Bodkin cleared her throat and started to  [ sing ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKAM_Hk4eZ0) : 

“Are you, are you   
Coming to the tree   
They strung up a man   
They say who murdered three   
Strange things did happen here   
No stranger would it be   
If we met at midnight   
In the hanging tree.   
Are you, are you   
Coming to the tree   
Where dead man called out   
For his love to flee   
Strange things did happen here   
No stranger would it be   
If we met at midnight   
In the hanging tree.   
Are you, are you   
Coming to the tree   
Where I told you to run   
So we'd both be free   
Strange things did happen here   
No stranger would it be   
If we met at midnight   
In the hanging tree.”

Poe tilted his head. “That's a little bleak, isn’t it?”

Bodkin huffed. “Nonsense—the way I see it, it’s a song about freedom. Death or freedom, you know? That’s my personal motto and it’s fitting for a pirate crew, isn’t it?”

Poe nodded. “Yeah, I kind of get it.”

Bodkin turned to Hux: “What would be your nickname, Red?”

Her question seemed to take him by surprise. “Hux, that’s my name after all.”

“Yeah, but what’s your  _ pirate _ name? Mine would be uh, ‘the Snake.’”

Hux skewered a piece of fish and shoved it in his mouth, obviously playing for time. He looked like he was trying to solve a complicated calculation in his head. Soon he would scoff at the ‘silly notion’ and look downcast.

Poe nudged him. “What about ‘the Law’? Imagine all the one-liners you could crank out! Or ‘Red Blade.’”

Hux’s gaze softened. “I like Red Blade.” He finished eating and pushed his chair back. “If you’ll excuse me.”

As soon as he was out of earshot, Bodkin gestured to the waiter and he placed a small holocomm on the table. Poe stared at the device. “What—”

“Red doesn’t speak Huttese, so I took the liberty of ordering something extra when you two were busy with your banter. You can call your people and I’ll get paid, right?”

Again he had been lucky—he hadn’t even had to think what to say to Hux or try to deceive him. He could send a signal to BB-8 right now. But why did it feel like betrayal? “Yes, yes of course.” He activated the comm and pinged BB-8 in binary, transmitting the location. He managed to smile. “Thank you, Bodkin.”

She shoved the whiskey the waiter had brought closer to Poe. “I know you like him, but we both know how this ends.”

Poe laughed nervously. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I—I was just gathering intel.” He shoved the comm into his pocket.

“Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that.” She patted his knee. “I got eyes, you know. I see how you look at each other.”

Poe sighed. “It’s just… it’s such a waste. He’s got so many skills and he just—no matter. What about you? You still want to go to Ryloth?”

She leaned back and took a deep gulp from her whiskey. “He was right—the trader, I mean. I’m not an idiot. I know that my problems won’t suddenly disappear when I go to Ryloth. I won’t miraculously grow a new lekku, I won’t get smarter or become a new woman. But I figured that there has to be some place where I belong, where I feel… I don’t know… at peace.”

“Tell me when you find that place,” sighed Poe, staring at the ice cubes in his drink.

“I guess everybody needs a goal in life, even if it’s banthashit.”

Hux returned and they ordered another round of drinks while Bodkin went to look for rooms. Poe couldn’t look at the holo with Hux at the table, but it vibrated in short intervals, indicating that BB-8 was sending messages.

Poe noticed that Hux hadn’t touched his drink. “Not in the mood to celebrate?”

“I’m tired. I’m not used to the heat.” He massaged his temples.

“Well, I bet Bodkin will find a place to crash. Tomorrow we will find a comm.”

Hux was now massaging his neck, rolling his head back. “Alright.”

The man seemed unusually distracted—he didn’t even ask who they would be calling. It was almost as if he didn’t care. He was probably just beat and his guard was down.

Bodkin returned and gulped down Hux’s untouched whiskey without even asking. “Come on, Red. You look like death warmed over—we got three rooms in this nice gin palace. It cost us almost all our money, but I think one night in a cool room is well worth it.”

Hux wiped over his face, looking completely miserable. “I don’t feel so well.”

“Perhaps some of the food didn’t agree with you, Hugs,” said Poe with a worried frown on his face.

“I think I just need to rest.”

***

As soon as he was alone in his room—a sparsely furnished place with an old bed and an even older toilet—he pulled out the holo and checked his messages.

BB-8 had acknowledged Poe's position with cheerful messages and was en route with an extraction team to get the three of them out. ETA 8 hours and 23 minutes.

Poe stared at the words ‘extraction team’ and chewed on his lip. Then he typed: ‘Be advised: No force necessary, Hux is compliant so far.’

He knew it was the right thing and still… it felt wrong. Hux appeared to trust him and he—well, he did what was necessary. It was better for Hux if he didn’t go back to the Order, right? That way he wouldn’t have to work on another Starkiller. It was for the best. He still felt uneasy and decided to check up on the man in question.

He went to the room next to his and knocked. Hux opened the door a crack and let him in. As Poe entered, he noticed the knife clutched in Hux’s hand—one of the knives the Rishii had given them as good-bye presents.

“Feeling better?”

Hux noticed his glance and put the knife on the small table next to the bed. “I am—I guess the heat and the dehydration were just too much.”

“If you want, I can massage your shoulders and your neck,” he wiggled his fingers. “I’m told that I have the magic touch.”

Hux chuckled. “I’m not adverse to it.”

They settled on the bed, Poe positioned behind Hux. After only minutes of rubbing the tense shoulder and neck muscles, Poe became distracted. Seeing the red shock of hair right in front of him proved too much of a temptation. Without thinking, he leaned closer and placed a featherlight kiss on the milky white neck before him. His hands travelled from Hux’s shoulders to his chest, down his stomach until he reached what he sought after the most.

“I have a suspicion that you’re tense down here,” he whispered in his ear, nibbling at his earlobe. Hux shivered, his breath quickening.

“Now that you mention it—”

Poe cupped his package and squeezed it very lightly. “Stars, you’re already hard, aren’t you?” His own cock stirred.

“You really have a magical touch,” chuckled Hux and reached down to unbutton his pants.

“Now now,” said Poe and stilled his hands. “Allow me.”

Hux relaxed, surrendering to the other man. Poe cupped the now sizable bulge in Hux’s pants before reaching up and opening the button. He caught sight of the ginger hair just above the waistband and bit his lip. His own cock was now straining against his pants. Stars, and he hadn’t even seen the main attraction.

He pulled the zipper down and massaged Hux’s awaiting package. A little moan escaped the other man, and the sound was so enticing that it sent shivers of lust down Poe’s spine. “Almost there,” he whispered.

Centimetre by centimetre he pushed Hux’s boxers down, revealing first the tip of his proud cock. “It’s beautiful, you’re beautiful,” whispered Poe in a hushed voice, brushing over the glands, making Hux hiss with anticipation.

He had seen the dick many times now, but there was still a sense of wonder and excitement at seeing it in full. Poe couldn’t help but moan when he pushed the boxers down far enough to reveal the base and those fascinating ginger pubes.

He took the cock in his hand and jerked it a couple of times before letting go, admiring its size while cupping Hux’s balls. “You’re so big and full.”

Hux groaned and tried to press himself against Poe’s erection. “There is lube in the nightstand.”

Poe kissed his neck. “Lube?”

“I—I assume these rooms are usually rented hourly.”

“I really am a lucky guy,” whispered Poe against Hux’s neck as he grabbed his dick again. “Tell me that you’re beautiful.”

Hux shivered under his touch. “Yes, I am.”

“Say it, I want you to admit it.”

Hux’s breath was already ragged. “I’m beautiful and I have a big, proud prick.” He blushed when the last word left his lips.

“Perfect—now I want this wonderful dick inside me.” He gave him a final kiss before shifting away to take off his tight pants. He threw them carelessly onto the floor and literally jumped back on the bed.

With a slight blush on his cheeks, Hux slowly rose from the bed and looked at Poe. “Is—is this really what you want?”

“I have been negligent in my duties, General,” said Poe with a lustful grin. “You would be remiss not to discipline me properly.”

Hux hastily stripped and grabbed the lube from a drawer. From the looks of it, it was brand new. He made an effort to straighten his posture. He would have looked serious and commanding if not for the protruding large erection. Poe loved everything about the vision in front of him.

“Time for an inspection, soldier.”

Poe laid back on the bed. He spread his legs and held them up by the hollow of his knees. “Better be thorough, General.”

Hux poured lube on his middle and index finger and kneeled between Poe’s legs. He placed his finger without warning on Poe’s puckered hole. He flinched and hissed with pleasure. The pressure was delicious. Soon he would be full of Hux’s proud prick. So damn hot...

“Stoicism is a virtue for a soldier,” Hux said and started to press in.

Poe did his best to relax, and when the first knuckle of the finger entered him, he gasped, clenching. The light burn on his rim was amazing, sending a shudder up his spine. His dick was aching, as if it was ready to burst. It felt as if it was growing larger, more sensitive despite being unattended.

Hux slowly wiggled his way in. The aroused look on his face was so satisfying that Poe whispered. “So beautiful.”

Hux smirked and pushed the finger completely in. “So beautiful,  _ sir _ .”

Poe screwed his eyes shut, taking in the sensation of being fingered. Hux added another digit and started to stretch his hole carefully. Poe already felt full and the stretch was making him feel hot. Heat was pooling in his already throbbing cock.

“Turn around, soldier,” said Hux, his breath now very ragged.

Finally, finally he would feel this magnificent cock. “No, no I want to watch you,” Poe moaned. He  _ needed  _ to see Hux, needed to see how he fucked him.

“That’s insubordination, Commander.” Hux withdrew his fingers and put the pillow under Poe’s lower back. He poured lube on Poe’s hole, slipping his fingers in and out, brushing against Poe’s sweet spot. “Do you want my beautiful cock, soldier?”

Poe was so horny and desperate that he twitched in pleasure and tried to rut Hux’s hand. “Yessss, yes!”

Hux continued to tease Poe’s prostate with a light touch. “What was that?”

“I—” Hux crooked his finger and Poe lost all means to talk. “Ahhhh.”

“You need to enunciate more clearly, Commander.”

Stars! So hot and so  _ good _ ! “Please, General sir, I need your big dick inside me!”

Finally the fingers were pulled out and Hux put lube on his rock-hard cock and positioned himself between his legs. When the tip of his dick entered the tight hole, Poe huffed and moaned, grabbing his legs tighter. So full already, and there was more to come. “Fuck me,  _ sir _ ,” he pressed out.

Hux plunged in and started to pound him hard and fast. Every thrust felt amazing. Poe felt so incredibly full and hot, the stretch on his hole just the right balance of pain and pleasure.

He forced himself to keep his eyes open, to watch the red hot dick going in and out. The lustful expression on Hux’s face was a sight to behold. Poe was entranced by the way he lost his pace after a while, rutting wildly until he came with a low grunt, shooting his cum inside him.

Poe grabbed his own dick and jerked until he came as well. The orgasm was so hard and powerful that he felt like he was rising off the bed. The amount of white hot cum spurting from his cock was enormous—it felt like it would go on forever.

It took Poe some time to come down from his climax, unable to even remove the hand from his dick. Dimly he registered that Hux was still inside him. Hux moved to pull out.

“Stay,” whispered Poe, “I want to feel you a bit longer.”

Hux laid down on top of him, keeping his dick sheathed. Poe wrapped his legs around his waist, holding him close. Feeling his weight was nice, like a warm blanket. “That was amazing,” said Hux and kissed him.

Poe chuckled. “It was.”

Hux rested his head on Poe’s chest. He ran his hand through the ginger hair, massaging his scalp. 

“Your heart is still pounding,” muttered Hux.

“Well, you fucked me good, General.”

“Don’t be so crass,” scolded Hux. “It was something good. Not something… dirty.”

Poe had a joke on his lips about still having his dick up his ass, but he remained mute. He knew that Hux wasn’t referring to the act itself. It was about intimacy and feeling secure and happy.

With a quiet huff, Hux pulled his flaccid cock out. Poe let go of him and watched him stand. What a sight he must be—he wished he could see Hux like that. His butthole felt sore and caressed at the same time. Hux sat down on the bed and ran his hand through his hair. A warm feeling spread in Poe’s chest—he wanted to hold him longer. Poe sat up and hugged Hux from behind. “You’re right. This wasn’t dirty. It was wonderful.”

Hux turned and brushed his thumb over Poe’s cheek. “Do you mind if I stay the night?”

“Of course not.” He placed a soft kiss on his lips. “I was hoping you would stay.”


	14. Showing One's True Colours

When Poe woke up he registered that he was alone in the bed. He checked the chronometer—37 minutes to the ETA. With a pounding heart he searched for Hux in the bathroom. 

He was gone. Poe quickly dressed and went to look for him in the cantina and then to Bodkin’s room, but had no luck.

Kriff! Had he gotten away? Had he gotten wind of his plan? A feeling of dread, loss, and anger overcame him. This wasn’t supposed to happen! He had come so damn close to getting Hux to the Resistance!

***

Bodkin sat on her bed while he paced back and forth. He had no choice but to wait for his extraction team. And Hux—there was no chance of finding him if he had really decided to make a move. “Kriff.”

Bodkin shrugged. “Well, it was a long shot anyway. A wonder he didn’t disappear on us yesterday.”

“I was reckless,” mumbled Poe. “I should have seen it coming!”

“Meh, it’s still a win. You got intel out of him, didn’t you?”

He ran his hand through his hair. “Yes, I did. Groundbreaking stuff, really.”

Bodkin sniggered. “Groundbreaking, oh boy. That must have been a night.”

Poe clenched his hands to fists. Stars! Why hadn’t he paid more attention? He was over the goal line and he had kriffed it up! And it irked him how Bodkin talked about their relations. He wanted to tell her that—that—he didn’t know what to say or feel.

His holo beeped and he answered it. Finn’s figure materialized; he was apparently kneeling. “Is the coast clear?” he said without a greeting.

“Affirmative, come in,” said Poe curtly and put the holo away.

A soft knock on the door followed and Poe opened it. Finn burst into the room and the two shared a warm hug. “Stars, it’s good to see you, Finn!”

Loud beeping noises made him look down. BB-8 was rolling excitedly around him. Poe let himself fall on his knees and hugged the astrodroid. “Buddy! I’m so glad that you’re alright!”

“ Poe = reckless, BB-8 missed Poe ,” beeped BB-8 with an indignant whistle.

Finn nodded towards Bodkin. “Sorry—but first things first—where is he?”

Poe sighed. “Hux is gone. He was here yesterday and today…”

“Kriff,” hissed Finn. “Well, Rose and Kaydel Ko are outside, securing the perimeter. We—” Finn interrupted himself and activated his vibrating wrist holo.

Rose’s figure appeared. “Visuals on target—he is holding a bag and has entered the building.”

Poe gaped at her. “What?”

“We’re following him, but it’s hard to keep track with all these customers,” whispered Rose.

Finn put his hand on Poe’s shoulder. “This is our chance! We can still take him. All we need to do is lure him here; I doubt the local authorities are particularly kidnapping-friendly.”

Poe could feel his stomach drop. “Wait—I—”

“Just go out there and act like nothing happened. If that paranoid bastard tries to run, Rose and Kaydel Ko will cut his escape route off.”

He grabbed Finn’s arm. “Listen—listen to me. There is no need for violence.”

Finn frowned. “Are you kidding me?”

“He’s on his way up to the rooms, guys,” said Rose over the holo.

“He has been cooperative. We don’t have to resort to violence,” said Poe.

“Okay, whatever, just go out there and make sure he doesn’t get away.”

Poe gulped and exited the room. Hux was halfway up the stairs, carrying a brown paper bag. “Hey, Hugs. Where were you?” His voice was cheerful despite Poe feeling miserable.

Hux smiled at him, the sight piercing his heart. “I woke early and decided to earn some more money and I—what’s up? You look pale.”

“I think I had a whiskey or two too many yesterday. Come on in. Bodkin is nagging me to get out of here. We need to find a holo.”

Hux hesitated, his grip on the brown bag tightening. He knew something was off.

Poe mustered his best smile. “What? Worried that I’ll puke on your only shirt? Come on, let’s sort this out so that we can get breakfast before Bodkin gets cranky.”

Hux resumed his steps and closed in on him. “Please tell me that she has at least gotten her first cup of caf.”

Poe opened the door and ushered Hux in. “Sure, I got it covered.”

As soon as Hux was inside Finn slammed the door shut and pointed his blaster at Hux. “Drop the bag! On your knees!”

Poe was standing behind Hux, but everything that happened next was so fast that all he saw was a metallic blink when Hux made an incredibly fast move to the left and threw something at Finn. He screamed in pain and with a thud the blaster fell to the floor. 

Poe stared at the knife protruding from Finn’s hand, unable to move or speak. Hux sprinted to the blaster, but Finn had recovered from the attack and threw a powerful punch at Hux. Hux barely dodged it and launched a counter-attack, only to be tackled by Finn and thrown to the floor. Finn hit him once with his left fist before Rose and Kaydel Ko burst in, pointing their weapons at Hux.

Hux scanned his enemies. He looked ready to strike until his eyes landed on Poe who was standing in the back. All tension left his body and he went suddenly limp. Rose moved in and put binders on his hands. His lower lip was split from Finn’s punch, and there was a drop of blood on his chin.

Finn groaned and sat on the bed next to Bodkin, inspecting the knife sticking out of his hand. “Kriff! You really are vicious, Hux.”

“Rose, guard him—let me see, Finn,” said Kaydel Ko and crouched down to have a look.

Poe could finally move again and hurried to Finn. “Do you have a medpack somewhere?”

“Sure,” said Kaydel Ko and reached into her backpack. She pulled out a hypospray, bacta bandages and vetted Finn after pulling out the knife.

Poe took the knife and turned it in his hands. How in the galaxy had Hux thrown it so damn fast? He turned to face him, but Hux just stared at the floor, trying his best to ignore him.

“What’s this?” asked Rose and prodded the brown paper bag. A lemon rolled out of it. 

Finn massaged his bandaged hand. “Something to improve Hux’s sour disposition from the looks of it.”

Bodkin went to the bag and picked it up. “Only lemons, sugar, and a bottle of water—and here I hoped you got us some breakfast, Red.” She went to him and crouched down in front of him. “Are you alright?” The question sounded oddly halting.

Hux didn’t reply. He didn’t even look up. 

“Keep away from him,” said Kaydel Ko, “Force knows what that madman has up his sleeves.”

Poe cleared his throat. “He wasn’t violent up until now, we can—”

Rose scoffed. “Not violent? This guy wanted us dead not that long ago!”

She was right of course—what was he thinking? Poe gulped and smiled nervously. “I know, I know. But Hugs can be polite and good if he wants to, right Hugs?” His voice sounded throaty.

Hux remained silent, pressing his lips together.

Rose checked her chrono. “Our ship is docked at the spaceport. It’s a ten minute walk. We should leave as soon as possible.”

Finn got up from the bed and took his blaster. “I’ll take Hux.” 

He made a step towards Hux, who flinched, fear visible on his face. “Don’t touch me, you filthy piece of trash!”

Finn crooked his eyebrow. “Polite, huh? Don’t know about that.” He crouched down in front of Hux. “You know the drill—be quiet or we’ll muzzle you.”

Poe put his hand on Finn’s shoulder. “Let me handle him… please.”

Finn frowned and got up. “Fine.”

Poe waited until Finn had joined Rose and then took a gauze out of the medpac and knelt next to Hux. Hux looked at the gauze and then at Poe. He pressed his lips together. Poe dabbed his lip tenderly.

Hux seemed to shrink under his touch, letting himself go limp. “Stop it,” he said in a low voice. He looked defeated and tired.

Poe wanted to say something, to let him know that… he didn’t know what he should say. Nothing of course. Hux had actually come back, had thought that they would figure out the next steps together. Come to think of it—why hadn’t he just disappeared? Or called the Order? With the money he made from repairs he could’ve organized a holocomm on his own.

Poe cleared his throat. “I’ll check for hidden weapons. Relax.”

Hux didn’t reply. Poe patted first his arms, then his chest and his legs. He didn’t find more weapons. “Where was that blade hidden? I have never seen anybody draw a knife that fast.”

Hux remained mute.

“My guess is his sleeve,” said Bodkin from behind him. “Most of the people I’ve seen pull that off have a sheath on their forearm.”

Poe rolled Hux’s sleeve up and found a piece of cloth on his left arm. A small fresh cut was visible, probably from the velocity he had pulled it out. He padded the cut with the gauze.

“Don’t touch me,” pressed Hux out, averting his gaze.

The hurt and the misery in his voice made Poe’s heart heavy. No, no… he wasn’t supposed to feel like that. He had done his duty—they had a war to win. And Hux was too important to let slip through their fingers. It was better for him if he didn’t go back to the Order.

“Let’s get going,” said Kaydel Ko, while checking her holo. “Rose and I will do recon while you guys make sure that Hux doesn’t bolt.”

Finn grabbed Hux by his upper arm and pulled him on his feet. Then he shrugged off his brown leather jacket and put it over Hux’s binder so that it was less visible. 

Bodkin grabbed the bag with lemons. “No reason to let them go to waste.” She chewed on her lower lip. “Chin up, Red. The worst part is over.”

Hux didn’t even look at her. His eyes were fixed on the tips of his shoes. Poe took him by the elbow and steered him towards the door.

***

The trip to the spaceport was surprisingly uneventful. His pulse quickened when he saw the  _ Millenium Falcon _ standing on an ancient launch pad that looked as if it would crash into the sea beneath them at any given moment. 

“Chewie gave you guys the  _ Falcon _ ? I’m impressed,” whispered Poe in awe. 

BB-8 honked approvingly.

“Well, that’s a long story,” said Rose.

Rose activated the ramp while Kaydel Ko was securing the vicinity. Poe and Finn led Hux up and brought him into a storage room in the back of the ship. Finn used the binder to tie his right hand to a pipe running down the wall. Hux let it all happen.

Poe didn’t like how lifeless he seemed—it was as if he wasn’t even there. “I’ll make sure that you get a nice  _ iced tea _ , Hugs.”

Hux just sat down on the floor, staring straight ahead. 

Poe wiped over his sweaty forehead. “I’ll make sure to add extra sugar too,” he tried again. Still no reaction from Hux.

Finn scoffed. “What are you going on about, Poe? He’ll get enough to drink once we’re out of here.”

Poe turned to face Finn and forced himself to smile. “Finally! Not the best vacation I ever had.”

Finn chuckled. “You are a dork.”

As they turned to leave, Poe shot Hux one last glance: he had his knees pulled up and was wiping over his eyes.

The engines of the  _ Falcon  _ roared when they reached the cockpit. Rose and Kaydel Ko were piloting. Poe itched to fly the ship himself, but this wasn’t the time—and he was tired, a lump in his throat made him feel unwell.

In a matter of minutes they had left orbit and jumped into hyperspace. When they were safely away from Rishi, Finn exhaled and unbuckled his seat belt.

“Come here,” he said and pulled Poe into another bear hug. “We were worried sick about you.”

Poe closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his friend for a moment, holding him tight. “You know me, I wouldn’t die on some backwater planet. I’m too good for that.”

Rose joined them and punched Poe on his arm. 

“Ow!”

She had tears in her eyes. “Don’t you ever do that again. BB-8 almost had a short-circuit when it contacted us.”

BB-8 bumped into Poe’s leg. “ Poe = reckless moron, BB-8 = worried. Poe owes BB-8 + oil .”

Kaydel Ko engaged the auto-pilot and turned around in the pilot’s seat. “Time for a debrief.”

***

They gathered around the small table with the couch in the mid-section of the ship. Poe gave them a brief account of how Aashum'crebuy had taken him captive and how he found himself in a cell with Bodkin and Hux. Rose gaped at him when he got to the part about them making it into the Rishii village.

“Stars, Poe. You  _ are _ the luckiest guy in the galaxy.”

Poe gave her a lopsided grin. “I’m just that good.” He exhaled. “Well, that’s about it. We waited for a week until the trader showed up and contacted you guys once we had access to a holo.”

Finn nodded. “It’s good to have you back. I guess without you our luck has sort of run out.”

“What—what do you mean?”

“We’re not in a good shape,” said Kaydel Ko. “The Order is crushing us—that damn hyperspace tracker is making it nay impossible to launch a successful attack, even with multiple jumps.”

“What about the attack on the supply line?”

Rose grimaced. “We barely made it out alive. The supply line is still up and running.”

“Sounds bleak,” said Bodkin, “but when will I get paid?”

Poe threw his arms in the air. “Seriously? The fate of the galaxy—”

“We had a deal.”

Finn frowned. “Wait, what kind of deal?”

“I promised Bodkin 3,000 credits if she helped me offworld. She has held up her end of the bargain, so of course she will be compensated.”

Bodkin leaned back and put her feet on the table. “Good man.”

Kaydel Ko glared at Bodkin. “Whatever—we have bigger fish to fry. Command gave orders to disperse the fleet and meet up again in three standard days.”

Poe felt a shiver run down his spine. “That bad?”

“Even with the updated thrusters it’s hard to make enough jumps to shake the Order off,” said Rose. “We worked day and night, but we can’t keep up with the repairs at this rate. We need a break before we can try anything.” She smiled and sniffled. “Getting you back is the first good news in a long time.”

Poe exhaled. “Well, at least we got something out of this whole mess: turns out Hux’s file is incomplete.”

“What? Don’t tell me he’s really a droid,” said Finn.

Poe wanted to contradict Finn, tell him that Hux was very much a human, but that was impossible of course. He still had to find a way to tell them what had happened in that Rishii village. He cleared his throat. “He’s the head of the Weapon Development Department. He oversaw the construction of Starkiller, designed parts of it, and to top it off, he wrote some of the coding of the hyperspace tracker.”

Rose whistled. “Kriff, didn’t know he was an engineer.”

Poe wiped over his face. “He even told me that the Order wants him to build another Starkiller, among other things. He’s a treasure trove of knowledge, and all we have to do is to get him to share it with us.”

“Another  _ Starkiller _ ?” gasped Finn. “How—I thought they had given up on that.”

Rose rubbed her chin. “Even the Order can’t build a weapon of that magnitude in a few years. There are more immediate problems right now: the hyperspace tracker, for example. You say he wrote the coding?”

Poe tried to recall Hux’s exact words: “He said… that he rewrote some of the algorithms and constructed the network supporting the project called ‘Kolmogorov’.”

“Hm, Kolmogorov’s axiom, huh? That’s going to be a hard nut to crack.”

Poe attempted a smile. “Nothing is impossible for our best engineer—I know you can come up with something, Rose. You always do.”

“I hate to burst your bubble, but I’m no engineer. I’m just a grease monkey with a knack for tinkering.”

“Wait a moment,” interjected Finn, “Hux told you all this? How come?”

Poe straightened his back. “See, that’s a long story—” Bodkin opened her mouth and he shot her a withering glare, “but the main point is that he knows all these things. That means that we’ve still got a fighting chance.”

Kaydel Ko nodded. “I agree. You seem to have figured him out, Poe. Any suggestions on how we should play this?”

“I have some ideas,” replied Poe. “But first I need to get some rest and think everything through.”

Rose blinked. “You… want to think things through? Who are you and what have you done with Poe?”

Poe laughed. “I know, I know. But it’s—”

“—a long story,” finished Finn. There was something in his eyes. Poe’s breath faltered for a moment. He had to tell him. He owed him that much.

They fell silent for a moment. Bodkin broke the awkward silence by lifting the bag with the lemons off the table. “Well, now that we’re finally done—how about that lemonade you told us about? You know—the one you made on Yavin with crushed ice?”

Lemonade! It fell like krayt dragon scales from his eyes. Hux had bought supplies to make lemonade. A taste of home… of warmth and security. Poe suddenly had an ashen taste in his mouth. He gulped, but the taste lingered. He managed to smile. “Sure, why not?” He grabbed the bag and headed into the galley as fast as it was possible without raising suspicion.

He rummaged in the cupboard until he found the presser. He could hear footsteps behind him.

“If you want, I can make the lemonade,” said Finn in a soft voice. “Perhaps you should rest.”

Poe couldn’t look at him. Instead, he started to wash the lemons in the sink. “It’s fine.” He knew that Finn was aware that he wasn’t fine. He would tell him, just… just not now.

“Alright,” said Finn and Poe heard his steps recede.

Poe cut the lemons in half and used the presser. He stared at the yellow-green clear liquid that gathered in the bowl. Why did he feel so guilty? Hux and he had both known how it would end. It was better this way. Hux had been unhappy in the Order anyway, right? He had done the right thing!

He had many regrets and turning in a First Order officer wasn’t even in the top ten… or at least it shouldn’t be. He took out the sugar and poured it into the bowl. Perhaps it wasn’t about turning Hux in—perhaps it was about having to admit to his friends that he had slept with him?

No, that wasn’t it either. It had been the look of defeat in Hux’s eyes. He seemed so small and lonely when he was captured. Poe exhaled. Kriff.


	15. Turning the Corner

“Ah, that really hit the spot,” said Bodkin, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “I admit that it’s better than  _ some  _ of the iced tea I’ve had. But that’s the least I expected after all your whining about wanting a lemonade.”

Poe poured Kaydel Ko a glass. “Hey! This is the Dameron family recipe.”

Kaydel Ko took the glass. “Thanks.” She sipped and nodded approvingly.

Poe hesitated for a moment before he poured another glass and added crushed ice. “I’m beat,” he said. “I’ll drop this off and will rest for a bit.”

“Alright,” said Rose and emptied her glass. “We should arrive in about two hours.”

“Where are we going anyway?” asked Poe. “Dxun IX?”

Rose shook her head. “We got a new base on Onderon.”

“Okay.” He grabbed the glass and went to the cargo room where Hux was held captive. He knocked against the doorframe and entered.

Hux was sitting in the same corner as before. It looked as if he hadn’t moved at all.

Poe attempted a smile. “I brought you lemonade—I hope you don’t mind that we used your lemons, Hugs. It was very considerate of you to buy them.” He went over and put the glass on the floor and took a few steps back.

Hux glanced at the lemonade but didn’t take it. “Why are you doing this?” His voice sounded brittle. “You won. There is no need for theatrics.”

“I promised you lemonade back in the cell, didn’t I?”

Hux averted his gaze and pulled his knees closer to his chest. 

Poe cleared his throat. “Don’t worry, you won’t stay bound to a rusty old pipe for long. We will arrive at our base in a couple of hours—you will get a new, shiny pipe.”

No reaction.

It hurt, seeing him like this. Poe attempted a smile. “Nothing? Come on, that was funny.”

Hux sighed. “You don’t need to do that. I’m not angry at you.”

Poe stared at him wide-eyed. What the—

“I said what you wanted to hear. Now you can leave,” he said in a toneless voice. Something about it irked Poe.

“Not angry?” He put his hands on his hips. “Come on Hux, you’re not some droid who doesn’t feel anything. Of course you’re angry.” He scoffed. “Not angry? Bantha shit! Just admit that you want to strangle the life out of me—say that you’re furious that I—” Poe broke off, staring at Hux who was sitting in his corner.

He felt a lump in his throat. “How can you not be angry?”

Hux scoffed. “Always so self-centered, Commander. I didn’t say that I’m not angry—I said that I’m not angry with you.”

“You are angry at yourself, aren’t you?”

Hux closed his eyes for a moment, looking exhausted. Then he glanced at Poe. “My father was a proud man. He would go on and on about the tradition of the Hux family—pride of the Empire, backbone of the military. He was afraid that the line would end with him when his wife couldn’t get pregnant.” Hux eyed the lemonade and took the glass, studying the yellow-green liquid and ice. “When he learned that he had a son with the kitchen maid, he decided that having a bastard was less grave than having no male heir at all. The Hux name would live on—he hadn’t failed.”

Poe had no idea where this was going, but he knew it wasn’t the time to ask questions. So he remained silent.

“So he did everything in his power to make a proper Hux out of a skinny, sickly boy. He sent me to the best academy, controlled my diet, tried to beef me up, supervised my every move.” Hux chuckled. “To his misfortune it turned out that the bastard boy was not only soft and weak-willed, he was also a ‘dirty gay.’ His whole plan to revive the Hux family name in the traditional way was once again in peril.”

Hux grimaced. “Of course there are other means to reproduce offspring, but that wasn’t the so-called Hux way. A Hux was, after all, a strong heterosexual male. He became obsessed with the idea, and told me that it was my duty to marry a suitable woman.”

“I’m sorry,” said Poe quietly.

“There is no need. Thanks to my father, I learned many valuable lessons. Miss Bodkin learned the hard way what I always knew to be true—the galaxy is a shitty place. I’m such a fool. I knew and I fell for a dream anyway. I convinced myself that it would last longer, that we… I could pretend a little longer. But I was too weak to face the truth. Of course I’m angry at myself—how can I not be?”

Hux’s words pierced his heart. Poe lifted his chin. “Everybody is allowed to have dreams—that’s what makes us sentient beings. If you think I’m going to stand here and let you wallow in your self-hatred, you’re sorely mistaken.”

That got a rise out of Hux. He jerked his head up. “What?”

“You heard me!” snapped Poe. “I keep telling you that the galaxy won’t be a shitty place forever—but guess what? There won’t be a miracle that turns greedy, amoral people into saints! Creating a better galaxy for everyone takes blood, sweat and tears! We have to fight for it!”

“Ah, I see. You think it’s up to you to save the galaxy, don’t you? No matter how many worlds, how many people you sacrifice on your way to utopia.”

That stung. But he deserved it, didn’t he? No… this wasn’t about him. It was about Hux—it was about who he wanted to be. Poe wiped over his face. “Listen, we can argue about the morality of war for an eternity, or we can simply ask ourselves one question: What kind of galaxy do we want to live in?”

Hux frowned. “That’s too easy. The complexity—”

“Do you want to live in a place where you aren’t allowed to be yourself? Where you bow to more powerful people for the rest of your life? Or do you want to at least try to be your own person? Don’t you want to live in a galaxy where you don’t have to design weapons like Starkiller?”

Hux scoffed. “It’s not that easy.”

“Why not?”

The question seemed to catch Hux off guard. “I—” He pressed his lips together.

Poe crouched down next to him. “A lot of shit has happened. I won’t deny that. A lot of people are dead… but you’ve got a choice. You can decide to aid us in our goal of a better galaxy, or you can decide to fight us every step of the way. Either you stay in the shadows, hiding away, or you step out into the light. It’s your call.”

Hux blinked and stared down at the glass of lemonade.

Poe wanted to tell him that he  _ wanted  _ him to join the Resistance. That he  _ wanted  _ him to stay with him. That he missed his tender touch, his comforting warmth. But the words wouldn’t leave his lips. As hard as it was, it wasn’t about him or their relationship. It was about Hux and Hux alone.

He got up and left.

***

Poe was pretending to nap when the  _ Falcon  _ dropped out of hyperspace. Thoughts and emotions were tumbling around in his head. After his little speech he had felt relieved, as if he hadn’t only addressed Hux but also himself. Remain in the shadows or step into the light. It was easy, wasn’t it? Yes, he had slept with Hux. He liked him—all he had to do was admit it. 

In the hours before the landing, doubts started to crawl back into his mind. It wasn’t only that he had hooked up with his enemy—it was the fact that he actually liked him… a lot. He kept thinking about the brilliant ginger hair, the blue-green eyes, his soft voice, his tender hands, his soft lips, his curious mind, his knack for dry comments. 

He had fallen for him, despite his better judgment. There was no way he could casually admit that to his friends, to his comrades in arms. They would despise him.

He got up and joined the others in the cockpit. “Are we there yet?”

Rose laughed. “Sure, we’re about to land. Might get a bit bumpy since the landing zone is tucked away in the forest. Because, you know… the whole planet is nothing but forest.”

Sure enough, as they drew closer and closer to the treeline, a small clearing opened up before them and they landed with a slight bump.

Finn stretched his back. “Let’s get Hux and meet up in the command centre.”

Poe squinted. “Command centre? All I see are a few tents.”

“As we already mentioned, things are not looking good.” Kaydel Ko turned the engines off and got up as well.

Finn, Kaydel Ko, and Poe headed back to the cargo hold to get Hux. Their prisoner was still leaning against the wall; the lemonade glass next to him was empty.

Poe cleared his throat. “I knew you would like the Dameron family lemonade, Hugs.”

Hux licked his lips. “It was either this or dehydration, seeing as you didn’t offer me water, Commander.”

A warm feeling spread out in his chest. They were bantering again. He didn’t hate him. A weight felt like it had been lifted from his shoulders. He couldn’t help but grin at Hux. “Awww, you’re just too shy to ask for more, aren’t you?” 

Kaydel Ko held a blaster ready while Finn released Hux from the pipe and bound his hands together.

***

The forest surrounding the camp was quite colourful. Green trees and purple bushes made it look friendly, warm even, despite the temperature being nowhere near that of a warm planet like Rishi. In the far distance he could hear birds singing. They marched through lines of tents until they reached a slightly larger tent in the back of the camp. 

To Poe’s surprise it was Rey standing at the large holo table watching red and blue dots move on star charts. He had expected to see General Organa.

She beamed and hurried towards Poe, hugging him. “Poe! Finally you’re back!”

Poe laughed—her good mood was infectious. “I’m back to collect the 20 credits you still owe me from our last bet.”

She released him and straightened her white robes. “Uh, good to have you back Commander.” She turned her attention towards Hux and Bodkin. “And you brought guests.”

Bodkin gave her a lopsided grin. “You guys owe me 3,000 credits for bringing Commander Curly back in one piece.”

Hux straightened his back and bowed slightly. “Lord Rey.”

“I’m no lord and I’m certain Commander Dameron can explain these expenses,” she replied calmly. 

“What is your rank then?” asked Hux.

“I’m just Rey.”

Hux looked confused but remained silent. Poe nodded towards Bodkin. “Why don’t you go and grab a bite to eat? I need to have a chat with Rey.”

“Come on, Bodkin,” said Kaydel Ko with a glance to Rey. “I’ll show you where you can get lunch.”

They left and Rey turned the holo off, bathing the tent in a dimmer light. “Poe?”

Poe nervously glanced at Finn and Rose and cleared his throat. “I went to the meetup at the  _ Purple Parrot _ . The pirate boss offered old intel. When I inquired about the quality of the intel, she pretty quickly offered to sell her source for 100,000 credits. Long story short; I didn’t want to buy the loth-cat in the bag and told her that I would pay 10,000. She became greedy and decided to kidnap me to get some more money.”

“You didn’t know that it was Hux?” asked Rey.

“No, I only discovered it when I woke up in a cell—together with Hux and Bodkin.” He quickly retold the story of how they escaped and ended up in the Rishii village, followed by their travels with the trader. He hadn’t specified what they were doing in the village. He knew that he was stalling but—he just couldn’t say it, not now.

“The most important thing is that the Order is building another Starkiller,” he said at the end of his tale.

“Kriff,” said Rey. “How long?”

Poe glanced at Hux. “He said five years.”

Rey exhaled. “Poe—there is something I need to tell you. Let’s take a break and step outside.”

Rose looked downcast. “I’ll go get caf for everybody. Looks like it’s going to be a long meeting.”

Rey led him outside into the forest. The scent of maple and juniper was refreshing after the stale air in the tent.

“Poe… it’s Leia,” began Rey. “We took quite a beating while you were gone.”

A pang of guilt shot through his chest. “I—I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “We were already in a bad state after Crait. You know that. Even without the hyperspace tracker we had a serious disadvantage.”

“Leia, is she…”

“She is in stable condition in the medbay of the  _ Spark _ .” Rey smiled sadly. “She was incredible. We were under heavy fire and she just—she stayed on the bridge… when the battle was over we found her. There wasn’t a scratch on her, but she was unconscious. I still feel her in the Force—she struggles.”

“Kylo Ren?”

“Most likely.” She levitated a small leaf and let it spin on its axis with the flick of her wrist. “I know that she will come back. But we need time. I spoke with the other Generals—we need to lay low for now.”

“But—”

“I know. How are we supposed to fight the Order and Ren when we hide?” She stared at the floating leaf. “Nobody came right out and said it, but we simply don’t have the equipment and the manpower to risk an open fight. Right now we have to fight smart.”

Poe leaned against a tree and crossed his arms. “I know—I learned my lesson on D’Qar. But we can’t sit around and do nothing.”

“Damned if we do and damned if we don’t,” said Rey quietly. 

Poe offered her a half-smile. He had to do something… anything. “You know me, I’m the luckiest guy in the galaxy. I will fix this.”

Rey returned the smile. “Of course you will.” She let the leaf descend in a slow fall on the forest floor. “We should head back.”

She led the way and he trailed behind her, deep in thought. Rey was right, of course, but it wasn’t only about Leia or the manpower… it was all of it combined. Rebellions were built on hope, but at the same time ideals alone weren’t sustainable. They needed a plan.

Poe entered the tent and smelled the caf right away; Rose, Finn, and Kaydel Ko were gathered around the holo table discussing hyperspace routes. Hux sat on a chair in the back, a cup of caf between his bound hands. He watched the Rebels at the holotable with unveiled curiosity. Probably wondering why they had bothered to give him a cup of caf and why they were treating him decently. 

There he sat, their best shot at taking down the Order. He was vicious, bruised, with hair the fiercest shade of ginger, and the most vibrant green eyes… his enemy and his lover. Their gazes met and Poe offered him a thin smile. Stars, this man would be his downfall, one way or another.

Poe cleared his throat. “Hugs, don’t sit there on your own like a sourpuss. Come over here with the cool kids.”

The others stopped their chatter and tossed confused glances their way.

Hux lifted his chin. “That would be quite a feat considering that I’m bound with durasteel binders to this chair. I didn’t think that poor eyesight would count among your many failings, Commander.”

Poe smirked; kriff, he loved this part. “My eyes are great! That’s how I spied you looking so miserable because you didn’t get your usual tea.”

“Considering that you use tea bags to make a cup of tea, it’s probably a mercy.”

Poe hesitated. This was it. This was the moment where Hux had to decide. He felt his hands begin to sweat as he leaned casually against the table, giving Hux a lopsided grin. “I bet you have drawn up all possible scenarios for the Order, security assessment stuff and the like. And I bet you have read all the intel reports about our resources…” He spread out his arms. “You like to play chess, don’t you? Any idea how the white pieces can still win this?”

Hux shifted on his chair. He looked at Poe and then back to the floor.

Finn frowned. “Poe, come on. You think that Hux is actually telling us anything?”

Poe shrugged. “I don’t know—I thought asking couldn’t hurt.”

“I—” began Hux and broke off. All eyes were now on him. “The Order has commissioned 14 new destroyers and dreadnaughts. Every scenario is quite clear: the vast resources will win the war eventually. That’s why we syphoned the funds in the Hosnian System before we destroyed it. And that’s why we conquered the mining worlds in the Outer Rim. They had no military value, but war is never simply about fighters and weapons; it’s about logistics and resources.”

For a moment it was completely silent in the tent. 

“We already know that,” said Rey. “That’s why we targeted the supply lines in the first place.”

“But you are already spread thin. You can’t mount a decent offensive nor have you the political clout to form alliances with neutral powers like the Hutts or the Chiss.” Hux straightened his back. “The Order operates with carrot and stick policy. Those we can crush we crush and those who are too… complicated are bribed.”

“Or bought off like those bastards on Canto Bight,” added Rose.

Hux nodded. “The pirates on Rishii were crude in their methods, but they were right about one thing—the First Order treasury is bursting full. The construction of Starkiller base cost trillions of credits, but it was nothing compared to what the Order makes with their monopoly of rare-earth metals. That’s why we—they can build another Starkiller.”

“Kriff,” hissed Rose.

“What is it?” asked Kaydel Ko.

“I never thought of it before, but every piece of tech in the galaxy is full of rare-earth metals. In blasters, engines… and every kriffing credit is going into the First Order’s pocket.”

Poe blinked. “What? But… how come we didn’t know that?”

“Because we sell the raw materials to the Hutts and they refine it and resell it. I imagine they don’t advertise where they get their materials from,” replied Hux.

Rey rubbed her chin. “A single gram of Lanthanum got me enough portions to last two days. The First Order could easily finance five super dreadnaughts with the profits from a monopoly of this sort.”

“Exactly.” Hux licked his lips. “It’s impossible to outspend the Order. But what if you targeted the treasury itself? Most scenarios I’ve run only included military units. There is a possibility that there are weaknesses in their security.”

Rey crossed her arms. “Money is always heavily guarded.”

“He is right,” said Finn quietly. “Every General guards his or her own domain. Everything that isn’t for combat is often overlooked. The upper brass never thinks about the basics—they just assume it’s there.”

“Wait a moment,” said Kaydel Ko, “even if it’s not their top priority, it’s certainly still guarded.”

Rey exhaled and looked Hux in the eye. “Are you familiar with the treasury’s security protocols?”

He grimaced. “I’m not.”

Rose sighed. “Why are we even talking about this? We can’t possibly steal gazillions of credits from a First Order fortress.”

Poe clicked his tongue. “Nobody said that we actually have to steal the money. We just have to make sure that the Order can’t use it anymore.”

Rose gulped the rest of her caf down and banged her mug on the table, causing Hux to flinch. “Credit sticks are made of alloy following the Van Arkel-Ketelaar triangle bond structure. The bond is of course highly stable, but,” she wiggled her eyebrows, “what about a proper arsenic bifocal gas?”

Hux nodded approvingly. “Interesting.”

Poe frowned. “Translation please.”

Rose poured herself another cup of caf. “Let’s just say that this gas can vaporize alloy into thin air. Puff, gone are all the shiny credit sticks—forever lost in air circulations systems.”

“Still, how are we supposed to pull this off?” asked Kaydel Ko.

Finn crossed his arms. “Let’s stop right here and talk about the bantha in the room: is nobody bothered by the fact that General Hux himself has suggested this scheme?”

All eyes were once again on Hux. He shrugged. “Commander Dameron asked a question.”

“Yeah, I asked a question,” parroted Poe.

Rey glared at Poe. “Talk, now!”

Poe gulped. He should have told them right away, but he hadn’t known if he had reached Hux until now and—

“Well?” asked Rey again.

“Commander Dameron convinced me that supporting your cause made more sense. I’m not interested in returning to the Order,” butted in Hux.

Finn gaped at him. “What?”

“And you didn’t think you should have told us that you turned him?” snapped Rose. 

Poe lifted his hands. “I—”

“That’s enough,” said Rey in a firm voice. “I want to talk to Poe alone.” She turned to the others. “Take Hux… somewhere.”


	16. Hand Over Fist

Rey waited until they were alone. She stared at him until he cast his eyes down.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to blindside you,” he began. “It’s true that I talked to Hux about supporting our cause, but I didn’t know if he would actually help us. It was a gamble, but it paid off.”

Rey exhaled. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

He laughed nervously. “He’s a bit shy and I—”

“Stop it! This isn’t a game, Poe! Finn got hurt when we apprehended Hux!”

He felt how he blanched, his stomach tightening to knots. “I thought that he had gotten away, I really did. I would have told you if I had known that he would actually come back—if I had any certainty that he actually listened to me.”

Rey grabbed Rose’s half-filled mug of caf and took a gulp before sitting down on a chair. “What really happened?”

“I slept with him,” he finally admitted.

“Stars!”

Poe scoffed. “Honestly, I have no idea how it happened—well, I know how we did it but—”

“Poe!”

He exhaled. “Sorry. Force of habit. Long story short, we were attracted to each other and… it just happened.” He couldn’t bring himself to admit that he had been the one to take the first step. “After that we started to talk about a lot of things, and it became apparent that he had doubts about the Order.”

“What kind of doubts?”

He ran his hand through his hair. “I think he regrets Starkiller. And he started to tell me about First Order operations, after we had sex.” Poe licked his lips. “I know how it sounds… but he was so lonely and miserable. You should have seen him when he realised that I wasn’t going to hurt him.”

Rey blinked a few times. “You can’t trust them, Poe. Even if they look vulnerable.”

“I know what you think, but he isn’t Ren. Yes, he’s guilty of unspeakable horrors, but he is also a human being, not a First Order drone.”

She looked sadly at him. “You really think you can save him, don’t you?”

She was right. It was arrogant to think he could do it. “I—I don’t know.”

“Of course you do—that’s what I thought too. I thought if I could reach out to him… but we can’t save people if they don’t want to be saved.”

“Ren may be irredeemable, but Hux… he’s different. He wants to be saved.”

Rey played with the mug in her hands. “You’re in love with him.”

It wasn’t a question. And it scared him. He could feel an iron grip around his heart. He liked him, despite his best efforts. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. For all his talk about stepping into the light, he couldn’t admit it, couldn’t say it. “Of course not,” he said with a forced laugh. “You know me, I’m not the sentimental type.” He gave her his best grin. “I change my lovers faster than my underwear.”

Rey just looked at him, without saying anything.

It made Poe nervous. “Either way, he’s helping us. And we need all the help we can get.”

“Have you told Finn?”

She really knew how to put her finger on open wounds. He still managed a smile. “Not yet, but I wanted to tell him from the start.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “There isn’t much to tell anyway.”

Rey shot him one last glance before she went outside and returned with Rose and Finn.

She cleared her throat. “We can’t let this opportunity go to waste—if Hux is willing to provide us with intel, we have to take our chances.”

Finn crossed his arms. “I guess it’s the sensible thing to do. I advise caution though. Hux is dangerous.”

Rose nodded. “I agree, but judging from what he said… he could be a real asset. I would like to talk to him about the tracker and his other pet projects.” There was a gleam in her eyes. “Imagine what we could learn about the heuristic systems and the chip interfaces. I always wondered how the Order coordinated their cannons after a hyperspace jump. I bet they use HB-Ports to convey the signals. Hm, or maybe even HN-Ports.”

“I agree, you should talk to—” began Rey.

“Great!” Rose was out of the tent before Rey could finish her sentence.

Finn looked after her and smiled. “Poor Hux—she will be merciless in her quest for tech knowledge.” He turned his attention to Poe and the smile faded a bit. “Kaydel Ko put him back into the cargo hold of the  _ Falcon _ , seeing as we don’t have a holding cell.”

Rey poured herself more caf. “First things first. Take him to the shower and give him a jumpsuit or something—and give him food and water.”

“I think Finn and I can take care of that,” suggested Poe. “We can also get a field bed in there.”

“Alright, but what about Bodkin? Is she reliable?”

Poe thought about the question and discovered to his surprise that he wasn’t sure. “I think so, but she made it pretty clear that she is motivated by money. But she is good, and if we’re really going to try to go after the treasury, we might need someone with her expertise and connections.”

“Let’s rest for now. We should let everything sink in and talk about it tomorrow.” Rey rubbed over her eyes. “It's been a long day.”

Only now did Poe notice how tired she looked. It wasn’t just the late hour—she seemed thinner than the last time he had seen her. But she didn’t look frail, she looked hardened.

“Come on buddy,” he said to Finn. “Let’s go grab something to eat. I’m starving.”

***

Finn sat down next to Poe on a tree trunk. He stirred his Ithorian noodles. “How was the food on Rishii?”

“Surprisingly good—even the pirates ate well. Bodkin said it’s because of the warm climate. They tend to cook fresh to avoid food poisoning.”

Finn whistled. “Food poisoning is no joke.”

Poe shoved a forkful of noodles into his mouth and chewed. The taste was good, but he couldn’t help but compare it to the delicious dishes he had eaten at the Rishii village. His memory flashed to an image of Hux mixing together cake batter—as fast as the memory appeared, he pushed it away. “We were lucky, all things considered.”

They continued to eat, an awkward silence stretching out before them. Poe devoured his food in a rush. This was the moment he had dreaded—how was he supposed to tell Finn? There was no easy way. Should he just be blunt?

“You’re quiet,” said Finn.

Poe felt heat crawl up his cheeks. “I—my mother always told me it’s impolite to talk while eating.”

Finn laughed.

“Yeah, I'm a true gentleman, as you know. Some might say it’s my defining quality.” He flashed a quick smile. “Hux said that my defining quality was my ‘inane babbling.’” He didn’t dare to look at Finn and quickly continued. “But I guess he got used to it. In the end, he even laughed at some of my jokes! Imagine that!”

“Well, you’re funny.”

“Exactly! Thank you!” He felt the palms of his hands become sweaty. “Another funny thing—well, it turns out that he… he’s funny too. Sometimes at least.”

“Uh-huh, that I don’t believe.”

Poe laughed a little too loud. “It’s true. I also realised that he’s attractive and so I seduced him. The moon stood high in the night sky, stars were blinking... very romantic.”

Finn snorted. “Stars, you’re disgusting.”

Poe stared into his plate, heart racing. He wasn’t hungry anymore. In fact, he felt rather unwell. It was like something Hux would say of himself—disgusting, weak, sickly. He glanced at Finn. He should really tell him. He was his friend after all. Surely he would understand? Perhaps—perhaps he could just wait until tomorrow to set the record straight? Yes, it had been a long day. No need to pile this on Finn right away.

***

Hux wasn’t chained to the pipe when they entered, but he was still sitting in the same dark corner. Finn handed him a plate with noodles while Poe put the field bed into a corner of the room. “Here you go, Hux. After that we’ll take you to the showers and give you some new clothes.”

Hux eyed the food with suspicion and took the plate slowly, smelling it before eating a single noodle.

“It’s almost as good as the food on Rishii,” said Poe.

Hux stirred the food and took another small bite. “It lacks proper seasoning.”

“Come on—it’s far better than the slop the First Order serves,” said Finn with a huff.

“Officers usually got a different menu than Troopers.” He glanced at Finn’s bandaged hand. “I apologize for injuring you, FN-”

“The name is Finn, Captain Finn.”

“I apologize for injuring you, Captain. I’m aware that we got off on the wrong foot.” He crooked an eyebrow. “But then again, I tried to kill you many times before. I apologize for that as well.”

“I don’t care about your apologies, Hux. All I care about is winning the war. So I hope that you really want to help us.”

“I’m not interested in going back to the Order,” said Hux dryly.

“You know, that doesn’t inspire a lot of trust.”

“Would you believe me if I gave an emotional speech about the importance of freedom?” said Hux while shoving another forkful into his mouth.

“You know what? You’re right. That would be creepy.” Finn sighed. “Eat up or there won’t be any water left in the shower.”

***

As it turned out, the shower was a water tank with four shower heads. The camp really was improvised—everything had been repurposed. They truly weren’t in good shape. Kaydel Ko was already waiting for them with a bundle of clothes, which she handed wordlessly to Hux before leaving.

“She doesn’t seem to appreciate my presence,” said Hux as he looked over the clothes: dark trousers, a green t-shirt, a dark-brown jacket, and a pair of black leather boots.

“That’s just because she doesn’t know about your incredible baking skills, Hugs,” said Poe with a chuckle, putting down his own set of fresh clothes on a nearby bench, which had been made from crates.

Hux frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, eartips turning pink.

Poe saw from the corner of his eye how Finn eyed Hux and then him. He looked as if he was mulling something over.

Hux turned around and undressed, clearly uncomfortable with Finn’s presence. Poe gulped. He trained his eyes on the other man’s bare back before finally pulling himself together and starting to undress himself.

“Too bad that we don’t have a sweat lodge, huh?” he continued loudly. “I admit that I was getting used to it.”

Hux stepped to the water tank and activated the shower head. From the way Hux grimaced it was clear that the water wasn’t exactly warm. Poe did the same on the shower right next to him, using all his willpower to not look at Hux. But then again, there wasn’t really a need to use his eyes when his imagination worked perfectly well. His mind suddenly conjured images of his naked body in the warm light of the Rishii lamps.

Stars, he shouldn’t be thinking about that right now. Still… it was tempting to watch Hux. Surely Finn wouldn’t notice if he stole a glance?

He rinsed his hair and took a stealthy peek; he saw Hux’s profile with his wet hair and his stubble. He lifted his arms to wash his face and Poe got a look at his lean torso. Then he looked away and casually stole a few glances more.

They turned the shower off and rubbed themselves dry with a towel. Again Poe was able to look unhurried at Hux. That was the best way of pretending that he wasn’t interested. If he didn’t look at all Finn would certainly notice, right?

He ignored a small voice in the back of his head that reminded him that he was supposed to tell Finn the truth. 

They led Hux back to the  _ Falcon  _ and locked him again in the cargo room after he had used the toilet. 

Poe ran his hand through his still moist hair and nudged Finn as they walked down the ramp. “Hey buddy, how about a glass of Firebrand Whiskey to celebrate my return?”

“Sounds like a plan!”

***

After a restless night he decided to go to Hux first thing in the morning. Truth be told, he missed him. He pulled the door to the cargo bay open only to discover that Hux wasn’t there. His stomach dropped. No, no, no… this wasn’t possible! He had locked the door himself. There was no way—had Hux fled? Impossible!

He hurried out of the ship, straight to the command center. Thoughts churned in his head, and an iron grip took hold of his heart. He had to stop him! He couldn’t let him go back to the Order!

“Morning, Poe,” rang a voice out.

He jerked his head around and stopped in his tracks. Rose was looking at him, holding a mug of caf in her right hand and a pad in her left. Next to her stood Hux, carrying what looked like a machine part.

Anger, relief, and regret washed over him and he exhaled, unable to summon his usual smile. “What are you guys doing?”

Rose frowned. “What does it look like? We’re updating the signal jammer.”

Hux crooked an eyebrow. “Unlike you, Commander, Sergeant Tico knows about the value of early work hours.”

Poe’s heart was still hammering. He felt hot and cold at the same time. “Rose, I know you’re eager to get to work—but you can’t just take Hux without asking,” he snapped without thinking.

Rose stepped closer, lifting her chin. She was about a head smaller than he, but she looked defiant. “Asking? Who the kriff am I supposed to ask if I’m  _ allowed  _ to do my job? You think I can’t handle Hux?”

He realised that she was right—why had he even said that? He had been startled, yes, that was it. Poe lifted his hands to placate her. “Come on, Rose. I was just worried that you would work Hugs to death on his first day.”

“Getting up earlier than nine o’clock isn’t ‘working somebody to death,’” retorted Rose, her frown fading. “What’s up with you? You look like you have seen a ghost.”

Poe was still rattled, but he managed to smile. “Perhaps you’re right,” he said quickly and nodded towards Hux, “I’m still not used to that pale, pasty face over there.”

Hux pressed his lips together and Poe realised that he had said the wrong thing. He knew that Hux didn’t like being called ‘pasty’. Stars, why had he said it?

“Go get a cup of caf or something and come back when you’re back to normal,” sighed Rose. She turned her attention to Hux. “Let’s get to the repair station, Hux.”

“Of course, Sergeant.”

Poe watched them leave and pinched the back of his nose. Kriff, he had panicked. That wasn’t like him at all. Perhaps Rose was right and he needed caf. He turned and walked towards the tent with the provisions that had been turned into a kitchen.

He stepped in line and waited for his turn. 

He had fully expected Hux to be in the cargo room, had looked forward to seeing him again… alone. The feeling of dread that had taken hold of him was something he hadn’t felt in a very long time. It was different from the despair he experienced on Rishii. It was like a heavy cold blanket on his chest.

Private Nyha handed him a mug and he thanked him with a friendly nod. He slowly walked towards the exit, sipping his caf. He had to busy himself with something or this whole… situation would blow up in his face. 

***

“I thought about the plan we discussed yesterday,” said Rey. She stood at the holotable in the command tent, the room lit up in the blueish light of the displayed galaxy map. It gave her an oddly gaunt look. “I want a workable plan before any final decision, but I think it’s the best way to use our limited resources.”

Finn nodded. “Alright, if you say so.”

“I will talk to Bodkin,” said Poe. “See if she has any ideas.”

“Is that wise?” asked Kaydel Ko. “You said yourself that she’s only in it for the money.”

“I did, but she overheard Hux talking about it—she simply knows too much anyway. We can’t force her to stay, but if we offer her a job…” he trailed off.

“Is Rose still working with Hux?” asked Rey. 

“She is,” confirmed Finn. “I checked up on her an hour ago—they both barely noticed me. It was a bit uncanny to be honest. I always thought Rose was a bit intense about tech, but it seems Hux is more than her match.”

Poe cleared his voice. “How are we supposed to handle him?”

Rey rubbed her chin. “What’s your evaluation, Finn?”

“I don’t trust him, to be honest. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that he’s actually helping us. But we have to decide how we want to play this—either he’s our prisoner and we treat him as such with armed guards instead of Rose with her electro shocker, or we assume that he’s really on our side now. Everything between isn’t feasible in the long run.”

“Poe?”

“I think he’s candid. As I already said: he doesn’t want to go back to the Order. I wasn’t keen on working with him at the beginning, but once I got past his defenses, he didn’t attempt to double-cross me despite having more than one chance. And let’s not forget that he came back on Rishi.”

Kaydel Ko sighed. “I agree with Finn’s assessment. Either he is our prisoner or he’s not. From what Rose has told me, the guy is a genius. Seeing as we need his knowledge it could prove difficult to curtail his access to tech without derailing our plans. But I recommend to be cautious.”

It was of course Rey’s call in the end. She had been Leia’s second in command. But Poe felt that he should insist. “I pondered a lot about his motivation, and I didn’t even try to turn him at first—I mean… he’s General Hux. He was distrustful, aggressive and violent, but he changed his tune after I treated him like an actual human being. I think even he was tired of the way he was treated in the Order.”

Finn scoffed.

“I know,” continued Poe, “but consider how he behaved up until now—I think we might lose him if we treat him like a regular prisoner. Because that’s what he expects and knows. If we show him—”

Rey lifted her hand and he fell silent. “You don’t need to convince me, Poe.” She straightened her back. “We’ll treat Hux like any other deserter: like a new ally.”

“I hope we won’t regret it,” said Finn quietly. 


	17. Sea-Change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: DUB-CON MOMENT IN THIS CHAPTER.  
> I'm honestly not sure if I should mark as dub-con, but I think it's better to be on the safe side. Poe gets too rough for Hux's taste, but then they talk about it and Poe apologizes.
> 
> I also updated Chapter 8 with some NSFW art (at the end of the chapter) ^^

Poe was busy getting up to speed with his squadron and of course with the modification Rose had made on his beloved  _ Iron Butterfly _ during his absence. He knew that she was a brilliant mechanic, but he still wanted to make sure that—well, he didn’t know what he wanted to make sure of. Perhaps it was just a good feeling sitting in the cockpit again after such a long time.

He put his hands on the control stick and closed his eyes, recalling the thrilling sensation of taking off. He exhaled and opened his eyes, pondering on whether to make a supply run. It would be nice to fly again, and BB-8 would be sure to approve. It checked on Poe from time to time as if it was worried that he might disappear again.

A supply run to some small mining colony would be great. BB-8 could plot an interesting course and perhaps Hux could come along. He would complain about his flying style, telling him that he was reckless… Poe could tease him with—Poe sighed. It was just a silly daydream.

He wondered if Hux was still working with Rose and exited the cockpit. Perhaps he could check up on him.

***

He found them staring motionless into a holo of something that looked like a motherboard. He waited for a few moments before he cleared his throat. “Hey guys, what are you doing?”

Rose snapped out of her thoughts and rubbed her hands on her trousers as if they were dirty. “Uh, we’re thinking about an overhaul of the fuel injection subsystems.”

He had no idea what she was talking about. “I see.”

Hux’s lips twitched. He knew that Poe wasn’t tech savvy. So did Rose, but from time to time she forgot about it.

Her eyes were once again on the holo. “We could reroute the secondary back-up system through the primary one. If we use enough dilithium it would reduce the energy cost.”

Hux pursed his lips. “Interesting, but I would suggest switching the whole system to a double-coded 734-motherboard. It would provide the opportunity to update it without having to tinker with the chips.”

“Hm, we don’t have enough Lutetium to build them from scratch.” She enlarged the holo. “Could you modify the blueprints of this one?”

Hux’s eyes went wide. “You’re right, Sergeant. A modification would entirely be possible.”

Rose shoved a pad into Hux’s hands. “I’ll go get some more caf and you can start with the blueprint.”

“I—”

“Yeah, yeah, black tea, I know,” she hurried out of the small tent muttering something under her breath.

Poe shifted his weight from one leg to another. “So, it looks like you’ve settled in, Hugs.”

Hux scanned Poe from head to toe. “Sergeant Tico is a very competent engineer. I fail to understand why she isn’t at least a lieutenant.” 

Poe shrugged. “Rank isn’t everything.”

“Preposterous.”

“So, how about uh, dinner later?” he said a little quieter than he had intended. “You know… to catch up?”

Hux crooked an eyebrow, giving him a shy half-smile. “I’m not adverse to it.”

“I’m glad that you can still tolerate my presence, Hugs,” he replied with a wide grin. He was really looking forward to talking to him again.

“Barely.” There was a softness in Hux’s gaze he hadn’t noticed before. It gave him a warm and fuzzy feeling in his stomach.

Rose returned with two large mugs and took a gulp of caf before handing Hux his tea.

Hux stared at the mug. “Is—is that a  _ tea bag _ ?”

Rose nodded. “Yep.”

Hux gaped and then composed himself. He set his lips into a thin line. Poe knew that a longer speech about  _ real  _ tea would follow and gave them both a mock salute before heading out of the tent.

***

He spent the rest of the afternoon talking to Bodkin about the ‘heist’ as she called it with a gleam in her eyes. Her lekku twitched as she told Poe that she had a great deal of experience in stealing ‘stuff.’ One might even call her a master thief.

Poe patted her on the back. “You understand that this won’t make you as rich as all the hutts put together, right?”

She waved off. “Eh, we’ll see.”

“We might get killed.”

“No risk, no fun.”

“What is the largest haul you’ve ever gotten?”

She hesitated. “Would you believe me if—”

“No.”

“Ugh, you’re a spoilsport.” She pouted.

“Okay, real talk. We’re understaffed and we could use every hand, even if you’re not a heist mastermind. But since all options are on the table, we would like to have your expertise.”

She tilted her head a little. “You’re just afraid to let me go.”

Perceptive as ever. He gave her a broad grin. “Come on, I just enjoy your company.” 

She laughed. “Alright, but I expect to be compensated.”

“Of course.” He checked his chrono. “Let’s meet up tomorrow morning to discuss this with the others—first we need a plan.”

She nodded towards his chrono and smirked. “Busy, huh?”

He clicked his tongue. “Always.”

Poe got up and headed to the food tent. It was already quite crowded. Well, it didn’t matter—they could get the food and eat somewhere else. He went to the tent where he had last seen Hux, but on the way there he encountered Hux and Rose. Apparently they were already on the way to the mess.

“There you are,” said Poe with a smile. “Let’s get some food and find a quiet place.”

Rose blinked. “Were you looking for us?”

“Uh, yeah. I thought I should keep an eye on Hugs.”

“Don’t worry, I have it covered,” she replied.

That was unexpected. What now? “Great! But I can’t leave you without a decent dinner companion, can I?”

Hux frowned but didn’t say anything.

“What’s up, Hugs? Nexu got your tongue?”

Hux’s frown faded a little. “I’m not sure if your company is an improvement, Commander.”

Rose laughed. “Let’s just get going; I haven’t eaten all day—I’m starved.”

Poe put his arm around her shoulders as they made their way to the food tent. “Please tell me you’re not serious. You know you can’t live off caf and tech alone.”

She beamed at him. “Of course I can.”

“What about poor Hugs?” Poe glanced at Hux and gave him a wink.

“Only a weak mind needs more sustenance than a steady supply of caffeine,” deadpanned Hux.

They had arrived and got into line. Poe craned his neck to see what was on the menu, but he couldn’t see. Behind him Hux smirked, having noted his attempts. He craned his head a little and looked over people’s heads. “It appears that the chef has prepared some kind of stew.”

“Hey, that's unfair,” protested Rose. She barely reached Hux’s chest.

“You didn’t seem to mind my height when you asked me to hand you the chips from the top shelf,” said Hux without missing a beat.

Poe was taken aback by the casual way Hux had addressed her. He hadn’t expected that. “Nice to see that you two are getting along,” he said slowly.

“Well, we screamed at one another after the tea incident, but Hux is really good with blueprints.” There was a gleam in her eye. “His redesigns are positively inspired! Especially the condensator!”

Hux blushed a bit. “Nonsense.”

Poe decided to change the topic before they continued on with the technobabble. “Are you going to watch the swoop race tonight?”

Rose shrugged. “I don’t know. There is still a lot of work to do.”

“Come on, I bet you’ve already worked more than ten hours straight.”

Rose huffed. “Hux? What do you have to say to this?”

“It’s been nine hours and 48 minutes,” said Hux in his clipped voice.

“There you have it!”

Poe groaned. “You are both horrible!”

“We both happen to have the same understanding of work ethic, Commander. That’s hardly a fault.”

“Yeah, what he said!”

The line moved forward and Poe received his portion of unidentified stew. Rose was up next and finally Hux. Private Nyha glared at Hux. “I don’t serve First Order scum.”

Hux straightened his back and was about to respond when Poe beat him to it. “Come on, buddy. He isn’t with the Order anymore.”

Nyha scoffed and shoved a bowl of stew into Hux’s hands. 

“Thank you,” said Hux coldly.

Nyha ignored him and they moved on. 

“He’ll come around once he realises who has fixed that damn conservator,” said Rose.

Poe sighed. “Is there anything you two haven’t fixed today?”

“What? While we were waiting for the programmes to run, we worked on small stuff. No sense in wasting time just sitting around twiddling our thumbs.”

Hux nodded. “Yes, what she said.”

“By the stars! Did I mention that you two are horrible?” said Poe in mock outrage. “So, any good spots to sit, Rose? We need to eat while the food is hot.”

She led them to the edge of the woods surrounding the camp. She sat down on the mossy forest floor and leaned against a tree.

Poe sat down next to her while Hux wiped leaves off a tree trunk before taking a seat.

They ate silently. Poe had to admit that it was really a nice spot—quiet and still, not remote. The stew was a bit salty for his taste, but it was fine. He let his gaze wander until it locked on Hux. He looked handsome with the new clothes and with his clean-shaven face. It felt like he had been with them for days already—to his surprise, Hux had apparently bonded with Rose. And what was more baffling was the fact that Rose had bonded with  _ him _ . 

But then again, he was more than a stiff First Order drone, wasn’t he? He was funny, smart, and so damn witty. On second thought, it wasn’t that surprising that Rose liked him.

He smiled at him. “So, Hugs. Care to join us watching the latest swoop bike race tonight?” It was the perfect pretense to spend time with him.

Hux returned the smile. “I might consider it, Commander.”

Poe shoved a forkful in his mouth and talked with his mouth full. “What’s there to—”

“There you are,” rang Finn’s voice out.

Poe choked and coughed. “H—hey.”

“Captain Finn,” said Hux with a nod before addressing Poe again. “I admit that I haven’t seen swoop races before,” said Hux.

Finn chuckled. “Didn’t think you would care about that kind of stuff. Is this your way of inviting yourself to our monthly swoop race marathon?”

Hux frowned. “No, that was not my intention.”

“Sure,” replied Finn. “So, Poe—how about tonight? You coming?”

Poe felt guilty and caught in the act. “Yeah, sure. After all, you need my expertise to understand the finer points of people speeding through an obstacle course at a breakneck pace.”

“So, are you coming too?” Finn asked Hux.

Hux blinked a few times and straightened his back. He seemed tense, or at least more tense than before. He looked at Poe. 

Poe felt uneasy. He had already asked him, didn’t he? Perhaps he just wasn’t interested. Perhaps he should ask him agai—

Finn scoffed. “Seems the General is too good to answer. Eh, whatever.”

Rose waved her fork at him. “Where’s your food?”

“I already ate,” Finn grimaced, “stew isn’t my favorite anyway.” He leaned against a tree and crossed his arms.

Poe felt uneasy. He should have said that he had already invited him—he should have insisted. Why had Hux clammed up all of the sudden? Was it Finn? He seemed to get on with Rose fast enough. Perhaps he just needed a little prod? “What’s with the silent treatment, Hugs? Don’t you want to regale us with tales about the superiority of the First Order galley?”

“No,” said Hux quietly.

Poe laughed. “That shouldn’t surprise us, considering your bony frame.” Now he would tell him how only savages had to rely on physical strength or something like that. Poe waited for a response, but Hux just stared into his bowl, continuing to chew slowly.

Rose looked from Hux to Poe and back again. She put her bowl down and cleared her throat. “What do you think, Hux? Should we have another go at the tracker or relax with the targeting system first?”

Hux’s face brightened and he looked up. “The targeting system only needs a small update and perhaps new chips. We should start with that, Sergeant.”

“No new chips for us, but we can overclock the NX ones.”

He stared at her in awe. “Overclocking—yes, yes of course.”

Poe sighed. They were lost in the technobabble again. And why was Hux so awed by Rose? He had never looked at him like that! In fact, he had barely reacted to his banter. He wanted to say something to make him look at him. He felt nervous, uneasy even. “That gets you going, huh, Hugs? I bet tinkering all day with tech warms your lil’ droid heart.” It was a stale, overused banter. Poe regretted his words as soon as they were out of his mouth. What was the matter with him?

All colour drained from Hux’s face and an expression of hurt flashed over his otherwise expressionless face. He pressed his lips together.

Rose got up and grabbed her empty bowl. “Break is over, Hux. Let’s go back and do something productive.”

She led the way and Hux followed her. Poe watched them disappear behind some tents. He wiped his wet palms on his pants and managed a smile. “She’ll work him to death.”

Finn laughed. “Seriously, why do you guys even hang out with him? You know that you don’t have to, right?”

Poe shrugged, still feeling uneasy. “I like to poke fun at him.”

“I don’t think he appreciates it though,” said Finn. 

“Sure he does, this is kind of our thing. He’s just shy when you’re around.”

“Whatever—have you come up with an idea for our so-called heist?”

“Not yet, but I talked to Bodkin. She is in. What we need now is intel about the treasury itself. I’ll pay Hux a visit later.”

***

Poe watched the racer speed through a canyon. Next to him, Finn and Rose gasped when the legendary Amber Legend overtook his newest challenger. The Hutt announcer almost screamed in excitement and yet… he could barely focus on the race. His thoughts were still with Hux. He should have asked—no, he should have insisted that he join them. He missed him despite having seen him only hours ago. Watching swoop racing without him wasn’t fun. He wanted to hear him complain about this ‘senseless barbarism’ and banter with him about it.

After the first round of the swoop race Poe excused himself. Well, perhaps he didn’t have to invite Hux over. Might as well visit him. He quickly strode through the camp to the  _ Falcon _ . He knocked on the door of the cargo room before entering. Hux was sitting on his bed, holding one of his boots and a rag in his hands. Of course he would be polishing his boots. Hux looked a bit tired. “To what do I owe this honour?”

Poe felt warmth spread out in his chest. It left him feeling all warm and fuzzy. He should apologize to him. He cleared his throat. “I just wanted to make sure that Rose didn’t overwork you.” He gave him a cocky smile and closed the door. “I thought that you might have missed my good looks.”

Hux gulped and continued to rub shoe cream on his boot. “Sergeant Tico shares my passion for tech—a remarkable woman.”

Poe’s smile faded a bit. “She is the best,” he acknowledged. Hux was apparently still upset. He should help him relax, feel good and nice. “But enough about work. It’s almost midnight—how about a bit of fun for a change?” He crossed the room and sat down next to him, running his hand along Hux’s spine just the way Hux liked. Surely this would cheer him up?

Hux shivered and looked at Poe with a soft expression on his face. “I didn’t think you would visit me again.”

Poe leaned in and kissed him. “Of course I can’t resist you, Nexu. I was looking forward to this all day.”

Hux let the boot and the rag fall and turned to face Poe, cupping his face with his right hand. “I know I shouldn’t say it, but I missed you. It's cold in here without you.”

Poe chuckled and started to unbutton Hux’s shirt. “Don’t you worry—I’ll make sure that you will be warm in no time.”

Hux mirrored his movements and opened Poe’s shirt. 

Poe let his hands roam over Hux’s slim, smooth chest, his shoulders and finally over his neck, pulling him closer for another kiss. As their kiss deepened, his right hand wandered down to Hux’s crotch, brushing over it with a light touch, drawing a hiss of lust from Hux.

“Did you think about me?” purred Poe while palming the bulge. Stars, just this was enough to make him horny as a Lepi. He wanted to take him, right here, right now. Make all his tension go away.

Instead of answering, Hux kissed him passionately. Poe broke the kiss and started to unbuckle Hux’s belt. “Say it, say that you thought about me.”

Hux’s breath was already ragged. “I thought about you.”

“Yes, yes you did, didn’t you, my Nexu?” Poe whispered and kissed him lightly. “May I fuck you tonight,  _ General _ ?” He would make Hux blush and wiggle under his touch. Making him cum just like back on Rishi. It felt like it was ages ago—Poe felt horny and impatient. “Come on.”

A light frown appeared on Hux’s face, but then he gulped and nodded.

He got up and with one quick tug he pulled Hux’s pants down to his knees. Stars, Hux really looked delicious—his long legs, his lean muscles… Poe quickly reached inside his boxers and started to jerk Hux’s cock. “On your knees, General.”

Hux’s frown melted under his ministrations and he moaned. “I want to see you.”

Poe grinned and increased his rhythm. “Come on, I want to see your cute ass.”

Hux leaned forward to kiss him, but Poe gave him a push and turned him on his side. He pulled his boxers down under his butt. Seeing his small ass cheeks made him even harder. He gave him a light slap on the firm ass—so taut, so hot. He slapped it again, harder than before. Hux started to wiggle and Poe grabbed his dick with a hard grip and pulled at it. 

Poe let go of him and rolled him on his stomach. He hooked his fingers in the waistband of Hux’s boxers and pulled them roughly off along with the pants that were wrapped around his knees. They twisted up and he had to use more force than anticipated to get them. With one last tug they came off and he threw them carelessly away. Hux tried to turn around again, but was pushed back down. “Soon,” Poe panted.

He grabbed the delicious ass cheeks and forced them apart. Seeing Hux’s tight puckered hole made him moan. He put his thumb on his hole and pressed in, using his index finger to press on the spot between Hux’s butthole and his balls. Hux wiggled and finally slapped his hands away. He shot up, staring at Poe wide-eyed.

Something was wrong—he had never reacted like this before. Hux gulped and grabbed the blanket and covered himself. “I changed my mind,” he said in a halting voice. “I’m tired.”

Poe blinked. His sexual haze was dispelled instantly. “What? What—I don’t understand.” Hux had been into it and suddenly he changed his mind? Something had—then the credit stick dropped. Hux didn’t like rough play. He had said so more than once and he had just—stars, he really was a moron! Poe’s chest started ache. Stupid! He really was an insensitive, stupid moron!

“I’m sorry, Nexu. I was overzealous and forgot that you like it softer than I do.”

Hux looked miserable. “Don’t call me that.” He held the blanket so tight that the knuckles of his fingers turned white.

Poe licked his lips and sat down next to him, giving him plenty of space. “I thought you liked the pet name. I won’t use it anymore, okay?”

Hux stared at the boots laying in front of the bed. “I’m tired. If you don’t mind…”

“I’ll leave if you really want that, Hugs,” Poe said in a quiet voice. He felt terrible and uneasy. Why had he been such an idiot? All day he had said and done the wrong things. He wanted to make it up to Hux, but he had no idea how. Then he remembered how he had made up to him in the village. “But how about this? I’ll polish your boots while you rest for a bit. Then we can just lay next to each other, like back on Rishi.”

Hux glanced at him, looking unhappy. “You don’t have to. I’ll be alright—I just—it was a long day.”

Poe attempted a smile. “I even promise to make sure that I keep them to First Order standards.” He put his hand on Hux’s. “Say the word and I'll leave.”

Hux’s hand unclenched and the tension left his body. “You don’t have to polish my boots. But I wouldn’t mind you keeping me company, if that’s what you want.”

Poe took his hand and kissed it. “Be ready to be awed by my incomparable skills.” He got up, dressed himself, and retrieved Hux’s pants and boxers, placing them gently on the bed. Then he took the rag and one boot and sat down on the floor cross legged. He started to smear shoe cream on it, distributing it with the rag.

Hux put his boxers back on. Then he laid down on the bed and pulled the blanket up. He watched Poe in silence.

Poe finished the boot and took the other.

“I thought this was another of your jokes,” said Hux quietly. “But you’re actually doing it.”

I’m sorry, he thought. I didn’t mean to scare you. Poe gulped. “Of course! I just wanted to show you that even Rebel scum can polish a boot to perfection.” He rubbed the boot one final time before he placed it next to the other. He even made sure that they were standing symmetrical, just like he had seen Hux do. Then he wiped his hands and took his own boots off before crawling on the bed and laying down behind Hux.

After a moment of hesitation, he put his arm around Hux and held him close.

Poe smelled Hux’s unique scent—a mixture of soap, tea, and something that reminded him of the forest. Stars, he had really missed him. He felt so warm and happy with him. “I’m sorry about before.”

“I still can’t get a read on you,” said Hux quietly.

Poe started to caress his collarbone with his thumb. “What do you mean?”

He sounded throaty. “On Rishi you said that I was beautiful. Here you keep calling me a sickly, pale droid, but then you come here to call me pet names, to—to fuck me. I thought it was because you won—but then you stay even after I tell you no… it doesn’t make sense.”

Poe felt an iron grip around his heart. “You  _ are  _ beautiful, smart, and witty. I missed you and I thought about you all day. That’s why I wanted you to say it back. I wanted to touch you, just like I used to. I thought you would like it too. I’m sorry for being such an insensitive jerk.”

“I was glad that you came,” mumbled Hux. “I thought it would make me feel good. That it would prove that you don’t despise me.”

“Of course I don’t despise you. I like you and I was looking forward to seeing you again… alone. I’m sorry about teasing you. It’s just—complicated.” He thought about what he had said and drew breath again. “On second thought, it’s not complicated. I have fallen for you and it scares me. I’m scared to tell my friends, to tell Finn. And I was scared and jealous when I saw you with Rose. I was scared that you wouldn’t like me back because I’m not as smart as she is and—I don’t know.” He gulped. “It’s stupid, I know. I’m a grown man and I—” he broke off, not knowing how to end that sentence.

Hux was silent for a few moments. Then he said very quietly: “Do you really like me?”

“I do—I’m just not very good at showing it.” He sighed. “I keep making all these stupid jokes because that’s just who I am. I can’t help it.” His heart ached at the memory of Hux’s hurt expression. “But it wasn’t that bad, was it? You didn’t push me away when I showed up tonight.”

Hux sniffled. Poe could feel his chest heave. “Of course I didn’t. That’s our arrangement, isn’t it? You tell me what I want to hear, we satisfy our urges, you touch me like you mean it, and I pay the price.”

Poe felt a shiver run down his spine. “What?”

“You give me what I crave and in return you get intel.”

Hux was right, of course—that’s how it had started, hadn’t it?

Hux exhaled. “I don’t mind. That’s how it works in this galaxy.”

Poe propped up on his elbow and leaned over Hux to give him a kiss. “That’s not why I’m here and you know it.”

Hux turned on his back and looked him in the eye. He reached up and cupped his cheek. “You have such expressive brown eyes… full of wonder and curiosity. And the way you look at me… I can barely stand the sight of myself in the mirror. How can anybody look at me like—like you look at me right now? How can you tell me that I’m radiant and handsome?”

Poe ran his hand through Hux’s hair. “Are you talking about Starkiller?”

Hux blinked a few times. “You were disgusted that Ren had killed his own father. You asked me if I could imagine it.” He gulped. “I used an untraceable poison to kill my father. In fact, I made a point to watch him die in the bacta tank. I wanted him to see my face as the nerve toxin worked its way through his body. He was screaming in agony, but nobody could hear him in the soundproof tank.” 

Poe’s breath faltered, a cold grip taking hold of his heart.

Hux caressed Poe’s cheek. “Full fathom five thy father lies;   
Of his bones are coral made;   
Those are pearls that were his eyes:   
Nothing of him that doth fade,   
But doth suffer a sea-change   
Into something rich and strange.”

Hux pulled his hand away and licked his lips. He smiled sadly. “I am everything you despise. And I was too much of a coward to tell you about my father because I wanted it to last longer—I wanted you to look at me a bit longer like you sometimes do.”

Poe continued to caress Hux’s scalp, leaning down and giving him a light kiss on his mouth. “People do horrible, kriffed-up stuff. And yet—they are people, and people can change.”

“How can you believe that? After everything I have done, after Starkiller—”

“Nobody can bring back the Hosnian System and its people—nobody can revive all the pilots who lost their lives over D’Qar. Nobody can change the past but we can choose the path ahead of us, Hugs. Stars know what’s in store for us, but we’ve got to try to make things right. We have to bring the Order down before they build another Starkiller.”

Hux scanned his face as if he was looking for something. “How can you still believe in me? How can you even—”

Poe gave Hux a soft kiss on his cheek. “Because I’m in love with you, you dork,” he whispered with a pounding heart. He had really said it. May the Force forgive him, but it was the truth—he was madly in love with Hux.

Hux’s eyes seemed to glisten with unshed tears. He cupped Poe’s cheek again, and gave him a proper kiss. “I must be a dork because I think I’m in love with you too.” Hux pulled him closer and Poe rested his head on Hux’s chest. “Insufferable Rebel scum.”

Poe heard Hux’s heart beat. He had said it—he had finally admitted what he knew to be true for a while now. Stars, how he loved him. “Keep quiet you uptight paper-pusher.”


	18. Through Thick and Thin

Bodkin looked tired despite her already half-empty mug of caf. “Why do we have to meet this early?”

Hux crooked an eyebrow. “Early? It’s 08:00.”

Finn grimaced. “I gotta agree with Hux on this one. We need to get going. Waiting on this backwater planet is making me stir-crazy.”

“First things first,” said Rey, sitting down at the round holotable in the command tent. “What do we have so far on our heist?”

“I wrote a tracking programme for the holonet and targeted ports with enough capacity to refuel capital ships.” Rose activated the galaxy map. There were several red dots on the bluish map. “As expected, there isn’t clear intel. The spots you see here mark high fuel consumption in several ports. The trick was, of course, how to track a secret and all but invisible ship; the answer is surprisingly simple. All we need to do is look for the lack of evidence.”

Poe scratched his head. “I don’t get it.”

Rose chuckled. “Bodkin told me that most pirates use covers while refuelling to evade law enforcement. Most people just file papers when they refuel, some make stuff up, others are candid. The point is—this is the First Order we’re talking about. They don’t get extra points for creativity. According to Hux, they just threaten others to keep their mouths shut or else. And what does the poor little guy on the fuel dispenser do? He just doesn’t file papers because he’s scared.”

Finn’s eyes went wide. “But they still have to request the fuel they used!”

Rose leaned back in her chair, looking very pleased with herself. “Exactly! All we have to do is look for discrepancies, and that will lead to the First Order treasury ship.”

Poe beamed at Rose. “You’re brilliant!”

She blushed. “Nah, come on, it’s just leg work.”

Bodkin nodded approvingly and lifted her caf to salute Rose. “If I ever have my own crew I’ll hire you.”

“That’s a lot of red dots to check out,” said Kaydel Ko while looking at the holo, rubbing her chin.

Rose shrugged. “I guess that we can at least find out where they have been with enough recon teams.”

Hux straightened his back. “I recommend a cross-reference search grid with food purchases. An average destroyer has 9,235 officers, a crew of 27,850, and a contingent of 9,700 Stormtroopers. Every half year the commanding officer has to replenish the comestible goods for 126,319,500 credits as by standing order.” He sighed. “I had to fill out the paperwork often enough myself.”

Rose had a gleam in her eyes. “That’s great intel!” She quickly typed something into her pad and the holomap started to update slowly.

“That’s a start,” said Rey. “How far are we with a plan to actually board the ship?”

Bodkin rolled her shoulders back. “There are basically two options: one, we swindle our way onto the ship or two, we sneak in. In my experience, hiding in plain sight is the better bet.”

Finn nodded. “I agree. When we snuck aboard the  _ Supremacy _ we got quite far, no speaking needed.”

“You got caught,” said Hux with a crooked eyebrow.

Finn grimaced. “You don’t need to remind me, thank you very much. I haven’t forgotten that you wanted to lob off our heads.”

Hux pressed his lips together. “I apologize, Captain Finn.”

Bodkin stared at Hux wide-eyed. “That’s just a figure of speech, right?”

“Nope,” said Finn, “there was this guy with a large plasma-axe. But long story short, this time we won’t get caught—because Hux is with us now.”

“Yaaay!” cried Bodkin, lifting her caf mug once again into the air.

“It’s true that I know a lot about the inner workings of the Order, but it could prove difficult to insert fake files into the First Order system.”

Poe patted him on his shoulder. “But you’ll figure a way out, right?”

“I need to think about it, but I’m confident that in the vast network there exists a possibility to infiltrate a ship, Commander.”

Stars, he loved it when Hux was his competent self. He wished he could kiss him right here and now!

Rey got up and the others followed suit. “I’ve got another meeting in fifteen minutes. I suggest we reconvene tomorrow at the same time. As insane as it sounds, we might have a real shot at this.” 

Rose grabbed Hux and literally dragged him away. Finn watched them disappear and sighed. “I love Rose like a sister, but sometimes I think she’s a bit crazy. Did you see the look in her eyes when Hux mentioned something about a compressor he supposedly rebuilt?”

“I guess all brilliant people are a bit eccentric,” said Kaydel Ko. She grabbed her pad and went to Rey to discuss the upcoming meeting.

“Eccentric, huh?” said Finn. “I wonder what Hux is then. Did you know that they called him a rabid cur back in the Order?”

Poe almost winced at these words. He didn’t like that some called him that. “Yeah, I heard about it.” He wrung his hands. “He told me, to be exact.”

Finn didn’t seem to pick up on his awkwardness. “Okay. You up for a late breakfast? I hadn’t time to grab something to eat before the meeting.”

Stars, he needed to tell Finn. Really tell him. It was insane not to. “Uh, sure.”

They stepped outside and for a moment the sun blinded Poe. He took a deep breath—this was it. He would just straight up tell Finn before he heard it from someone else. For all he knew, Bodkin would blab about it as soon as she had a couple of drinks.

Finn smiled at him. “You alright? You look pensive.”

Poe forced himself to laugh. “Come on, buddy. Can’t a guy brood a little? I’m not that shallow you know. I—” He interrupted himself in the middle of the sentence. He was doing it again. Piling joke upon joke. He would never tell Finn if he kept waiting for a good opportunity. “Actually, there is something I need to tell you.” He stopped walking, scanning the immediate area. There was nobody near them. This was it—he would do it! He put his hands on his hips and exhaled.

“Poe? What is it?” asked Finn with a furrowed brow.

“So, you remember the conversation we had about Hux being funny?”

Finn blinked. “What in the galaxy are you talking about?”

He licked his lips. “I told you that he was funny, and—uh, also that I seduced him. Well, it’s true.”

Finn’s mouth dropped open in shock and disbelief. “ _ What? _ ”

Poe wrung his hands again, averting his gaze. He felt uneasy and nervous. He inhaled and looked up again, attempting a smile. “I know that it’s a shock to hear that he’s actually funny—”

“Poe!” Finn’s face screwed up in anger. “Tell me that you didn’t really fuck Hux,  _ please _ !”

He felt hot and cold at the same time. “I—I’m sorry.”

Finn brushed past him. Poe followed him. “Finn, Finn… wait.”

“Of all the reckless things—” mumbled Finn before he turned on his heel, pushing his forefinger into Poe’s chest. “I knew something was off, back when you made that lemonade for us… but this?! He tried to kill us more than once, Poe. And you—” he broke off and exhaled.

Poe hadn’t thought that Finn would get so angry. A lump began forming in his throat. “I said that I’m sorry.” He ran his hand through his hair. “It was a spur of the moment thing. After that he started to tell me things.”

Finn chewed on his lower lip. “It wasn’t a one time thing, was it?”

“Buddy…” Finn stared at him. He looked so angry, so disappointed that it hurt. Poe felt tears sting in his eyes. 

“I—” the lump in his throat seemed to grow, making it difficult to swallow. He blinked the tears away. He smiled; it felt off, but he still managed to pull it off. “You know me, I—I change my men faster than my underwear.”

The angry expression on Finn’s face melted away and he pulled Poe into a hug. Poe all but collapsed into his arms. “Oh Poe,” said Finn. “I know you, and you are no tomcat. You don’t have to pretend...”

Poe buried his face into Finn’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

Finn stroked over his back. “It’s alright. It’s not your fault that you have so much love to give. I know it was hard for you after Crait. You know I love you, right? We all love you—you don’t have to be afraid of being alone.”

Poe sniffled. “I love you too... like a best friend, I mean. I should have noticed how you looked at Rey. It—it was silly.”

“It wasn’t silly.”

Finn’s warmth calmed him down. It made him feel secure. He sniffled again. “You know what the worst part is? I’m the cruel one in our—whatever this is. He is so lonely and miserable, and I can’t—I keep calling him names.”

Finn patted him on the back. “You are not cruel.”

Poe let go of Finn and wiped over his eyes. “He’s so full of self-hatred and doubt. He even thought that he had to pay me with secrets to get me to be tender to him.” He sniffled again. “I know who he is and what he’s done, but can you imagine…”

“Is this why Hux helps us?”

He shook his head. “No—it’s because he’s tired of the Order and all of the death. At least I think so. I wasn’t even sure if he would come willingly. That’s why I didn’t say anything on Rishi.” He inhaled. “He thought that it was over once we captured him.”

“Stars.”

“I wanted to tell you earlier, but—well, I’m not good with this stuff.”

“No, you are not.”

Poe gave him a thin smile. “I thought you were supposed to tell me nice things.”

Finn put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. “I appreciate that you told me.”

Poe blinked and smiled nervously. “Thank you.”

“It’s a lot to process, Poe. But I’ll always be your friend, alright?” Finn pulled him into a hug. “Just tell your boyfriend not to stab me the next time.”

Poe chuckled and returned the hug. “I will.”

***

The rest of the day Poe felt energized and relaxed. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his chest. He even stopped by the ‘nerd tent’ as he called it, and bantered with Hux before meeting up with Bodkin to discuss the plan. Seeing Hux, even for those short few minutes, gave him a warm and fuzzy feeling in his chest that remained with him the rest of the afternoon. Before dinner he visited the kitchen and bribed the cook with half a bottle of Corellian whiskey in order to gain access to the food supplies.

There were no black beans in stock, so he settled for using green ones. He carefully cut the jorgan fruit and potatoes, adding them and some corn to the pot. To spice up the flavor, he tossed some chilies into the simmering soup. He let it cook for two hours, checking its taste now and then while reading reports from recon teams on his pad.

As expected, he found Hux in his cargo room later that evening. He frowned when he saw the large pot Poe was carrying. “What is this?”

Poe brushed past him and put the pot and the small basket he had in his other hand down on the floor. “It’s a dish from Yavin. I thought you might want to taste it.”

Hux closed the door behind Poe. “You… cooked?”

Poe rummaged in the basket and pulled a small candle out. He ignited it and put it on a crate next to Hux’s bed. It’s warm light lit up the dim room. “Yeah, it’s Yaa’in.”

Hux picked his nails. “What is all this?”

Poe gave him his best smile. “A date. We never had one, so I figured it would be nice.”

Hux sat down cross-legged. He watched Poe take bowls out of the basket. “The TIE-fighters need to update their astro-charts every—”

“You don’t have to do this,” said Poe softly. He leaned over and kissed Hux. “This isn’t an exchange, Hugs. This is just me wanting to spend time with you.”

Hux fell silent and watched him ladle the thick soup into the bowls. He handed Hux the food and a spoon. “It’s spicy, but not too hot.”

“Thank you,” said Hux quietly.

Poe crossed his legs and began to stir his own bowl. “Don’t thank me yet—perhaps you don’t even like it.”

Hux stared him straight in the eye. “I like it.”

They started to eat. Poe nodded to himself. “It would be better with black beans, but I think it’s pretty close to my father’s cooking.”

Hux tasted the soup cautiously. “It reminds me of Arkanian stew.”

“Hm, I never had it.” He looked at Hux—the warm light made him look irresistibly soft and warm. “One day I’ll take you to Yavin 4 and show you around. If you like the soup, you will like the local cuisine.”

Hux hummed. “Do you cook often?”

“Nope, I guess baking on Rishi gave me the idea.” It was indeed like a first date in many ways, he realised. They knew only bits and pieces of each other. Perhaps it was time to change that. He chewed slowly and gulped. “Do you like droids?”

Hux looked taken aback. He cleared his throat. “I do. Each is complex in their own way. Some even have a strong personality.”

Poe laughed. “I agree. I’ve had BB-8 with me for years and I swear it’s attitude gets worse every year.”

“Is it the same droid you had with you on Jakku?”

“Yep, it’s saved my neck so many times that I’ve lost count. I trust it with my life.”

Hux pulled the corners of his mouth down. “That’s more than one can say about most humans.”

Poe ladled more soup in their bowls. “Perhaps.”

Hux chewed on his lower lip. “Do you trust me?”

“I do.”

Hux gasped. “Why?”

Poe beamed at him. “Because I’m in love with you.”

Hux blushed. “Don’t say it like that.”

“Like what?”

Hux frowned. “So—so casually.”

Poe laughed. “Why not? It’s the most natural thing in the world.”

“It’s meant to be whispered in the dark,” said Hux slowly.

Poe shook his head. “Nah, it’s meant to be announced to the galaxy.”

Hux smiled sadly. “And yet you keep our ‘encounters’ in the dark.”

“Well, so far Rey and Finn know,” said Poe as nonchalantly as possible.

Hux almost choked on the soup. He coughed. “What?”

“In fact, Finn asked me to tell my  _ boyfriend  _ not to stab him the next time.”

“I’m not your ‘boyfriend’!”

Poe smirked. “What are you then? ‘Consort’? ‘Beau’?”

Hux chuckled. “You are terrible.”

“What about ‘lover’? Or ‘enemy with benefits’?”

“Are you my ‘gentleman caller’ then?”

Poe laughed. “Please, but only if I can call you my ‘main squeeze.’”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

Poe leaned over and kissed him. “What’s your first name?”

Hux hesitated for a moment, frowning. “A—Armitage.”

“How about I just call you Armitage, then?”

Hux blushed at the use of his first name. Recovering quickly, he cupped Poe’s cheek and returned his kiss. “I would like that… Poe.”

The kiss deepened, becoming more passionate by the second. Poe’s arousal grew with each touch of their lips. He pushed the bowls aside and settled in front of Hux, running his hands through his hair. “So soft and warm,” he whispered when they broke the kiss. “Did I mention that I love your hair?”

Hux chuckled. “You only say that to get into my pants.”

Poe smiled and lifted Hux’s shirt, revealing his flat, pale stomach and of course the irresistible trail of hair leading from his navel downwards. He brushed over it with his triggerfinger. “Of course, how could I resist this?”

Hux shifted a little and Poe stopped his caress. “Do you want me to stop?”

He licked his lips. “No, I just—I’m still not used to lingering touches. It feels strange.”

“Do you like it or not?”

Hux blushed. “I like it. Very much so.”

“Alright,” Poe stroked over his stomach, his sides and his chest. “I promise to go slow.”

Hux just nodded, there was still a blush on his cheeks.

Poe helped him out of his shirt and they moved to the bed. Poe took Hux’s hand and kissed it. Then he let his hands wander over his arms, his neck and chest, kissing his biceps, his collarbone and his nipple. Hux's breath started to quicken and he kissed his nipple again. Hux reached up and started to caress Poe’s shoulders, his pecs, and his abs. 

Hux leaned down and pressed his lips to Poe’s right nipple, giving it featherlight kisses. He massaged the left one with his thumb while sucking and licking the other one. Poe didn’t enjoy it at first. It felt odd. He had never been caressed there before. As Hux continued to run his tongue over his nipple and pinched the other one very, very softly, he started to feel it. It was pleasant—his nipples became warm, and he couldn’t help but feel aroused. 

Poe bit his lower lip and closed his eyes. Stars, he hadn’t known how sensitive his nipples were. “This is nice,” he said in a hoarse voice. “Can you go harder?”

Hux pinched his left nipple, rolling it between his fingers before pinching it again. He used his teeth on the other one, nibbling at it lightly. Poe felt heat pool in his crotch. His nipples felt swollen and hot now, and deliciously sensitive. Every pinch and every suckle sent waves of arousal right into his cock. The only sounds were the wet noises from Hux and his own ragged breath—he had never heard anything sexier than this.

It felt amazing, but at the same time it made him impatient. It was more like a tease than an actual relief. “Touch me properly,” he moaned.

Hux let go of him. Poe opened his eyes and saw that his nipples were stiff and red, swollen even. They were still tingling from the caress. Hux reached down and felt up his package. Poe leaned into this touch, enjoying the sensation as Hux’s warm palms pressed softly on his balls and his hard dick.

Poe slid down and peppered his navel with kisses as he unzipped his pants. He took his time to pull the pants and the boxers down to his knees and started to lick his cock. Finally, he started to suck his dick with abandon.

Hux moaned, the sound making Poe suck even harder. He wanted to watch him—how he loved the very sight of Hux, eyes screwed shut in pleasure and ecstasy. He slowed down a bit and let the heavy cock slip out of his mouth. It smacked on Hux’s stomach. “Open your eyes. You need to see how magnificent you are.”

Hux propped himself up, opening his eyes as asked. “Please, just—”

“Say it.”

He licked the dick from base to tip. Hux’s eyes went wide. He looked ravishing with his mussed up hair, his half parted lips, the unveiled lust in his eyes.

“I’m beautiful and so is my prick,” panted Hux. 

Poe took it again in his mouth, looking him straight in the eye as he swirled his tongue over the tip, eliciting a drawn-out groan from Hux. He stilled again.

Hux looked desperate. He grabbed the bed sheets with both hands. “My hair is lovely, it—”

Poe started to suck slowly, causing Hux to bite his lips. “Ahhhh, I’m smart, witty, and considerate.”

He sped up his ministrations, making Hux’s hips buck upwards, trying to fuck Poe’s mouth. “My ass is firm and small and delicious, and I have a proud p—prick.” He moaned loudly. “I’m close.”

Poe forced himself to slow down before letting go of Hux’s red hot dick. He kissed his way up to Hux’s collarbone and whispered in his ear. “Can I be on top?”

Hux grabbed him by his shirt and gave him a passionate kiss. “Yes.”

That was all Poe wanted to hear. He retrieved the lube from his pocket before ridding himself of his shirt and wiggling gracelessly out of his pants. Hux spread his legs as good as the trousers around his knees allowed him. Poe bit his lower lip at the sight and put a generous amount of lube on his hand and coated his finger and his large dick with it.

He grabbed the clothes around Hux’s knees and used them to hold Hux’s legs in place instead of getting rid of them. There was something hot about seeing Hux half-dressed, as if he tried to keep some sense of decorum. His cock started to ache at the thought. He forced himself to slow down again as he started to massage the tight hole with his right index finger. Once he had massaged him to his liking, he positioned Hux’s legs over his shoulders, stroking Hux’s dick lazily with his left hand while fingering him.

Hux seemed tense but soon relaxed, enabling Poe to slowly work his way in. When he introduced the second finger he started to suck Hux’s cock. After a while he couldn’t hold back anymore and stopped his ministrations to position himself at Hux’s entrance. He watched him as he pushed his hot, hard cock inside. Hux gasped when the tip entered his ass. Once Poe was fully seated inside, Hux groaned with lust as the thrusting commenced.

“Stars, you’re so beautiful,” panted Poe as he grabbed Hux by his hips, increasing his pace. “So tight, so hot.”

He started to pound Hux harder, watching him for any sign of discomfort. To his satisfaction, Hux was completely absorbed by the sensation, stroking his own dick, moaning loudly every time Poe pushed his big cock inside.

After a couple of hard thrusts he came, Hux following shortly, coming all over his stomach. Poe pulled out and collapsed on Hux’s chest.

“You—you’re making a mess,” panted Hux, sounding thrilled despite his words. “There is cum all over me.”

Poe laughed. He took Hux’s hand and kissed it.

Hux looked at him then with something in his eyes Poe couldn’t quite place. Happiness, Poe realized. He looked happy. “This was amazing.”

Poe kissed his hand again. “Next time you can be on top, alright?”

Hux smiled and kissed him on his mouth. “Let’s see where our mood takes us. We—we don’t need to plan everything.”

“Armie dear, I do believe you’re becoming a bad influence. I actually like making plans now.”

“Your nicknames are getting worse,” Hux said with a wide smile.

“One of these days I’ll come up with the perfect nickname. Just you wait.” He kissed him again.


	19. Siren’s Call

Three loud knocks made Poe jerk up from a very pleasant dream. He barely had time to gather his thoughts when Rose burst into the cargo bay. Poe gasped and pulled the blanket up to cover his nudeness. Behind him, Hux sleepily lifted his head.

Rose froze on the threshold, staring at them wide eyed.

“Morning,” said Poe awkwardly, trying and failing to come up with any coherent words.

She looked from Poe to Hux and back again. Finally she blinked a few times and strode into the room, lifting her pad up in the air. “I tried the new algorithm we talked about yesterday—and guess what? It worked!”

Hux wiped over his eyes. “Which one? Bayesian probability or the Laplace axiom?”

“Bayesian—with a few minor adjustments.”

“That’s great! Do we have a pattern?” asked Hux, sounding excited.

Poe let himself fall back on the bed with a sigh. “Stars! Do you  _ mind _ , Rose? Can I get up before you torture my brain with stuff I don’t understand?”

“Well, then chop chop,” she clapped her hands, “get going. We have work to do,” she said and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

“Why didn’t you lock the door?” asked Poe and buried his face in his hands.

“I assumed that you people weren’t savages. A grave mistake, apparently.” Hux got up and started to dress himself while Poe turned to watch him. 

“You’re handsome, you know that?”

Hux smiled as he pulled a t-shirt over his head. “You can barely see out of your sleepy eyes.”

***

They were busy the next two weeks doing recon on Mek-Sha—the fuelling station that was on the route of the treasury. Poe and Hux settled into a comfortable routine. They would eat dinner together each night, and Poe would stay over. 

There was little doubt in his mind that there were rumors about them. It couldn’t possibly escape notice that he was visiting Hux night after night. At first it made him nervous, causing him to be more cheerful and louder than usual, but after a while, he got used to the thought that his relationship with Hux wasn’t a secret anymore.

“I propose two possibilities to infiltrate the treasury,” said Hux at one of their frequent meetings in the command tent. “We insert fake files from this outpost in the Outer Rim,” he displayed the Otomok system. “It’s a small garrison, basically a career deadend. Agents should be able to slip in with the proper uniforms and insert a spike to hack the system.” He clasped his hands behind his back and almost stood at attention, looking at Rey.

“And the other possibility?” she asked.

“In my experience, there is at each stop a number of personnel needed to transfer the fuel. Since the treasury is due next month, it’s possible to get agents into the docks and from there onto the ship. Either way, they need to fake First Order affiliation to get to the vaults—wherever they may be.”

Finn crossed his arms. “We should set up two teams and even a third trying to sneak onboard by other means. As already stated, with the proper attitude we can go far.”

Hux crooked an eyebrow. “Attitude?”

“Yes, just like that—that’s great stuff, Hux. You ooze upper First Order echelon—I bet you could march right into the vault with your sneer alone.”

“I highly doubt—”

“That’s how we managed to get to the tracker in the first place.” Finn turned to Rey. “Everybody is afraid to ask questions. So if somebody who looks like they belong struts around, nobody asks questions.”

Hux frowned. “That’s not what protocol dictates. There are supposed to be regular check-points in every sector.”

Finn shrugged. “Of course, but you really think that a Stormtrooper is calling out an officer? I learned pretty quickly that it doesn’t pay off—stars know how many weeks I had to spend in sanitation just because I tried to play by the rules.”

Hux looked as if he was solving a difficult equation in his head. Poe couldn’t help but smile. He was probably trying to remember if he had noticed something along these lines himself.

“I agree with Finn. We have one shot at this—the security is bound to tighten if the Order realises that we’re targeting the treasury.” Rey enlarged the section of the Otomok system where the outpost was. “Poe, do you have somebody in mind for the mission?”

“I propose that Rose and Hux go—Rose is from Hays Minor and has knowledge about the system that could prove helpful. She is also a skilled slicer. Hux knows the system and is certainly convincing as a First Order officer.”

Rey turned to face Finn. “Do you concur?”

He nodded. “I do. Rose is quick on her feet and is quick to adapt. But I recommend that we disguise Hux—he held a number of speeches and is well-known in the Order.”

“Kaydel Ko?”

“I don’t agree. Rose is obviously the right choice, but I think it’s a risk to send Hux.”

Hux lifted his chin. “You don’t trust me.”

“There are two reasons for my objection: you are a valuable source of knowledge, and this is a high-risk operation. And yes, I don’t trust you enough to send you back to the Order. It’s one thing to rely on you in our base, it’s another to tempt you to return to your old ways.”

Rey frowned. “I don’t sense deception from him.”

“With all due respect, Rey—you are fairly new to all this. If General Organa were here—”

“But she isn’t,” said Rey curtly. “And she left me in charge.”

Kaydel Ko bowed her head. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to challenge your leadership, Rey. It’s just…” she glanced at Hux. “You survived decades in the Order, under Snoke and under Ren. I’m certain you have found ways to deal with Force-users and to hide your thoughts.”

Hux straightened his back. “You are right. I was able to conceal my thoughts to a certain point. But why would I go through all this trouble to set up this heist if I could just send a signal to the Order and have you all killed?”

Poe smiled nervously. “Uh, so listen. This isn’t exactly comforting talk, Hugs.”

Rose took a gulp of her probably seventh cup of caf. “He’s right. If he really wanted to, he could’ve set up a ping on a FO-frequency.” She turned to Hux. “For example, with the UD-emitter from an astromech droid.”

Hux rubbed his chin. “True—all I would have to do is run interference so that you wouldn’t pick it up in your routine scans.”

She laughed. “Yeah, but piggy-backing the signal on a regular signal would suffice.”

He nodded approvingly. “Of course, and if I used the sonic emitter I could even send a hyperspace—”

“This is not helping your case!” interjected Poe. “Focus, you two!”

Rose stared at him with big eyes. “What? It’s true, isn’t it?”

Kaydel Ko sighed. “All I’m saying is that if we keep providing him with opportunities to betray us, he will perhaps one day do it.”

“But we already agreed to trust him,” said Finn. “As we already stated—we can’t do this halfway. And we’re already trusting Hux. No need to get squeamish now.”

They all looked at Rey. She stirred her tea, apparently deep in thought. “We will send Rose and Hux to the outpost. Poe, Finn—you will be their back-up in case something goes wrong.”

“Yes sir,” said Finn and Hux in unison.

Kaydel Ko saluted before she left with Hux and Rose. Poe and Rey were the only ones left around the holotable.

“Thank you,” said Poe.

“No need—I just had to make a call.” She sat on the holotable, dangling her feet. “It’s not easy… being a leader. I wish Leia were here.”

“Having a hard time?”

She grimaced. “Of course. Finn is great though—he’s really helping me.”

Poe leaned against the table. “But?”

She sighed. “He is used to this. He has spent his whole life in the military. But me? My expertise is tinkering with old tech and surviving.”

“Well, I think you’re a natural leader,” said Poe with a smile.

She returned his smile. “I’m getting better at it, I think. The Force helps a lot, to be honest. And my gut.”

“Don’t worry about Kaydel Ko. She has worked with General Organa for years. I bet it’s hard for her to listen to anybody else.”

“Yeah, Rose said the same. Honestly, I’m glad that you guys help me.” She hesitated for a moment before she continued. “But perhaps it’s time that I learn to stand on my own two feet, even if it’s hard.”

“Listening to your advisers is a necessity as a leader. You shouldn’t have to make decisions on your own.” He stared at the tips of his boots. “Stars know that I had to learn that lesson the hard way.”

“I didn’t mean that I won’t listen to you anymore. It’s more about having a vision, an idea on my own how I lead. That’s why I decided that Hux and Rose should go.”

He frowned. “You think General Organa wouldn’t have done that?”

She chewed on her lip. “She sent you to Jakku because she knew and trusted you. Just like she gave her old friend Amilyn Holdo the command over the fleet. Hux is too much of a gamble. I don’t think she would’ve even let him roam free on the base.”

He smiled nervously. “Come on, I bet she would have understood that having him here is a chance.”

“It’s a risk, but one I’m willing to take.” Rey took a gulp of her tea. “Back on Jakku, I had to make life and death decisions. Either I ventured through the desert to some largely untouched starship graveyard, or I stayed in the vicinity of the settlement where everybody was. If I had stayed in the safe area I wouldn't have been able to get enough portions, even take a day off to get some much needed rest. In my experience, one has to take a risk if one wants to gain something of value.”

“Let’s agree to call it a calculated risk.”

She chuckled. “You place a lot of trust in him.”

He cleared his throat. “So does Rose.”

Rey slid off the table and headed to the desk in the back. “Rose certainly is happy to have another tech-enthusiast to talk about improving our fleet.”

“I get the feeling that Hux is also quite happy about it.”

Rey arched an eyebrow. “Happy?”

“Well, yeah, you know. He looks less grumpy when he is working with her.” Poe licked his lips. “Makes me a bit jealous.” He added a little laugh and turned to leave. “See you!”

He left before Rey could inquire about his little addendum.

***

The next day he visited General Organa in the med bay of the  _ Spark _ . Stars knew that he should have done it a lot sooner. But he didn’t want to see her like that. He straightened his shirt before he entered the white room with the large bacta tank. She was hovering in the blue liquid, only covered by what looked like a bathing suit. Her silver-brown hair floated around her head like a crown, giving her a regal touch despite the clunky breathing apparatus that was strapped on her face. Oddly enough, Hux’s poem about ‘rich sea-change’ came to mind.

Poe saluted her. “General, Commander Dameron reporting.”

Of course she didn’t respond. But he still felt that it was important to stand in parade rest. “I have returned from Rishi and brought an asset. We are planning a coup against the Order.” He gulped. “I know that you didn’t trust me to lead the attack on the supply lines and I hope—I hoped this would prove that you can rely on me.”

Her lifeless figure just floated in front of him. The only sound was the beeping of the life support. 

“I’m more than just a trigger-happy pilot,” he continued in a quiet voice. “I know that I can be more.”

He took a step forward and thought about putting his hand on the glass. In the end, he decided against that. He didn’t deserve this kind of intimacy with General Organa.

“Rey is doing a fantastic job. She—she is more of a leader than I will ever be. Level-headed, wise, and thoughtful. But I can still be of help. I can—” he wanted to say ‘win this war’ but he caught himself in the last second. “I can rein myself in. I can follow orders.”

Poe scanned her face but of course he didn’t register any reaction. He wasn’t sure if he was disappointed or not—she had been in a coma for weeks now. If Rey couldn’t reach her, he certainly couldn’t either.

He exhaled. “You can rest, General. We will take care of things.”

He turned on his heel and marched outside. He ran his hand through his hair. They would win this. Once the treasury was out of the way the Order had to crumble—it just had to.

***

The next few days passed quicker than Poe had anticipated. The mission that had been far away was now imminent. He did his best to remain calm and composed as he watched Rose and Hux prepare for their assignment.

Rose adjusted her First Order hat and looked into the mirror. “Close enough?”

Hux stepped next to her frowning a little. “Your posture is off. Pull your shoulder back. Chin up.”

“Uh, this is so uncomfortable.”

“Better.”

Poe gave her a reassuring smile. “You will be fine, Rose. You pulled it off once before. And with Hugs on your side, it will be a walk in the park.”

Rose pulled her jacket down and stared at her reflection in the mirror. “Is this supposed to be so loose around the shoulders?”

Hux squinted. “It could be a little more form-fitting.” He pulled a small satchel out of his bag and opened it. 

Poe craned his neck and saw that it was a sewing kit. “Where did you get that?”

The tips of Hux’s ears turned pink. “I asked Sergeant Xio for tools to fit our uniforms. I don’t know where you got them, but they aren’t the best fit.” He took a couple of needles and folded the fabric of Rose’s jacket before putting them in to mark where they had to trim the uniform.

“You’re so handy, Hux,” said Rose. “I sure hope you’ll patch up Poe’s old leather jacket if you get the chance.”

Hux helped her out of the uniform jacket and started to hem the fabric. “Hm, what leather jacket would that be? I thought he lived in his tasteless orange jump-suit.”

Poe laughed. “Come on! You saw it yesterday—it’s the jacket I bought a couple of days ago. It was a real bargain!”

“Ah, you mean that rag you’re so proud of. Why didn’t you just buy a new one?”

Rose hooked her thumbs in the suspenders and crooked her eyebrow. “Yeah, what he said.”

Poe threw his hands in the air. “What? A leather jacket needs history. It needs to look like it’s been through stuff. Otherwise I would look like a greenhorn.”

“You could just ask Finn to give it back, you know,” said Rose.

“Nah, it was a gift and it looks better on him anyway.” Poe registered the way Hux looked at him.

Rose wriggled out of the jodhpurs and back into her jumpsuit. “Well, gotta go. The air filters are clogged again.”

“I’ll join you shortly, Sergeant.”

She waved off. “It’s alright, I can take care of it myself. See you!” She left the storage tent.

Poe cleared his throat. “About that jacket… Finn’s a friend—”

“You don’t owe me an explanation,” said Hux.

Poe hesitated. “Actually… I want to talk about it.”

Hux looked up from the half-trimmed jacket. Stars, the way he looked at him with those green-blue eyes. Well, this time he would do it right. He would talk without all the silly jokes.

“I may be a lucky guy in some aspects of my life, but when it comes to l-love,” the word felt foreign on his lips, “I’m not so lucky.”

“How so?”

“I—” He gulped. “Turns out that I’m a bit much for some people. Or they’re simply not interested.” He smiled nervously. “Finn says that I just have so much love to give, but I don’t think it’s true. It hurts, you know. It kriffing hurts—I’m a grown man and I know that these things happen. I’m trying my best not to be bitter about it, but sometimes… well, anyway. Long story short: I was into Finn and I gave him my jacket when he first came to us. But he’s in love with Rey, so there is that.”

Hux looked down at his hands and blinked. “Why tell me?”

“Because I don’t want to make the same mistakes over and over again. I’m not good at talking about my feelings, but I felt that—I don’t know. That if I told you you wouldn’t be taken by surprise. And you wouldn’t think that this is a game to me.” He inhaled. “I say all this stupid stuff and I  _ know _ . I know that I shouldn’t try to be the funny guy all the time, but I can’t help it.”

Hux put the jacket away. “Do you know why I fell for you?”

The question took Poe by surprise. “Uh, I don’t know. I guess—”

“It’s because you polished my boots back on Rishi.”

“What?” Poe gaped at Hux. 

Hux smiled sadly. “I thought that you would make fun of me for,” he scoffed, “polishing mud caked boots in a situation like we were in. It’s just something that calms me down, helps me think. I know that it’s silly… even in the Order it would raise a few eyebrows. But you didn’t laugh—you sat down and helped me.” He got up and crossed the tent until he stood in front of Poe. “You didn’t try to fix me, you just—were there, right next to me as if I wasn’t damaged. As if I wasn’t odd. It made me feel like everything was alright.” He leaned down and gave Poe a light kiss on his mouth. “Everything is alright when I’m with you.”

Poe’s throat laced up. Stars, he hadn’t even thought about it. Hadn’t even wondered why Hux would like him. He had just assumed that he liked his looks. He pulled him into a hug and kissed him back.

***

They lay both in the bed, panting.

“Stars!” whispered Hux. 

“That was fun,” said Poe, propping up to kiss him. “Come on, we need to get you ready for tomorrow’s mission.” He ran his hand through his ginger hair. “I’ll miss them.”

Hux laughed. “The dye is only temporary.” He got up and grabbed his clothes as well as a small tube.

Poe watched him dress himself. He loved watching Hux dress himself—not that he didn’t love seeing him naked, but there was something intimate about getting rid of clothes and putting them back on. Only he was allowed to see him out of his shell, and seeing him button up that shirt only promised that he could get rid of it again. It was a game he never grew tired of.

“You know what? I’ll help you dye your hair,” Poe said and jumped off the bed.

Hux chuckled. “You just want to touch my hair again.”

“Guilty as charged. Besides… I need a shower too.”

Poe threw some clothes on and they headed to the shower. Poe quickly washed himself and joined Hux; he sat on a small wooden bench in the shower area and Poe put the harsh smelling liquid on his hair, starting to rub it in. He also applied some to his eyebrows.

Hux had to close his eyes. “Stars, the smell is horrible.”

“Don’t worry, it says on the tube that it should only take five minutes.”

“Alright, after that I need to check on Sergeant Tico—I’m running quite late today.”

Poe chuckled. “Come on, she said she was fine on her own.”

Hux licked his lips and frowned a little.

“What? You don’t agree? Rose is awesome—she has kept the Resistance running for years. I hate to burst your bubble, but she was doing just fine long before you showed up.” He sat down next to Hux and patted his leg.

“It’s just—” he broke off.

“Spit it out.”

“Sometimes, after a late shift she looks so… weary and sad.”

Poe felt a stab in his heart. He really was a moron—Rose still missed her sister and he had thought that she was doing fine, just because she didn’t talk about it.

“She is probably just worn out from the circumstances,” continued Hux. “So I’m trying to help her and provide her with enough strong caf to keep her going. I think my being here has helped her be more productive.”

Rose was lonely and only Hux had picked up on that. Poe managed a weak smile. “You know what, you’re right! You really should go help her—but first things first. Let’s wash your hair.”

He led Hux to the shower and started to wash the dye out of his hair. When finished, Poe dried himself off and dressed. Hux was busy towel drying his hair when he joined him again. At the sight of Hux’s mussed-up, blonde hair he sucked in a breath—in an instant he could feel the blood rushing to his crotch. Hux looked… amazing! The blonde hair enhanced his green-blue eyes, making them look even more radiant. He looked like an ethereal being. This is how sirens must look, drawing unsuspecting sailors into the deep water. 

“Stars!” whispered Poe. How could he look even more appealing? Stars, he wanted to ravish him right here and now.

Hux blushed. “I probably look silly.”

Poe cleared his throat, trying to ignore his stiffening dick. “No, no—you look fine. So, how long do you think you need to help Rose? Perhaps we can meet up later? You know, for dinner… and stuff.”

Hux didn’t seem to register Poe’s excitement. He only shrugged. “I don’t know—it’s going to be late.”

“I don’t mind,” said Poe quickly, flashing Hux his most flirtatious smile.


	20. Celestial Navigation

“Team 2 in position,” whispered Poe into his holo. It was ice-cold despite his thick parka. Clouds of breath escaped his mouth as he exhaled.

Finn put his hand on Poe’s shoulder. “Relax.” 

“I can’t help it,” admitted Poe as he pulled his face covering up. They were in a machine park of the local mine company, pretending to check the equipment—a machine park that was only a hundred meters away from the First Order outpost. The Outpost was a former office of Hays Minor’s largest mining company, the Omok Star. It was a tall grey building with little to no windows. A blanket of snow covered it, making it resemble a frozen piece of metal.

Finn pulled a plasma bomb out of his backpack and placed it on the drill they were pretending to inspect. Thick snowflakes fell from the grey sky, making it hard to see the enemy base at all. Their earpieces crackled. “Team 1 moving in,” said Rose in a quiet voice.

Poe climbed on the engine bonnet and opened it. “Copy that,” he said. He lifted his head slightly and saw two figures in black greatcoats moving towards the gate of the outpost. One was considerably taller than the other.

He wasn’t nervous because he thought they would fail—it was more a bad feeling he had that he couldn’t quite explain. He trusted Hux and Rose to pull it off, so why was he so uneasy? Perhaps it was the whole set-up, or the way Kaydel Ko had glared at them when they boarded the non-descript shuttle they had chosen for the mission? He couldn’t put his finger on it.

He glanced at the pair in front of the Outpost. The Stormtrooper guarding the gate snapped to attention as ‘Major Inkar’ brushed past him for her surprise inspection as if he were not worthy of her attention. ‘Captain Mesa’ hurried after her while carrying her briefcase.

“They’re in,” said Finn from the side. “Let’s set up three more explosives just to be sure.”

Poe nodded. “Let’s hope we don’t need that kind of distraction.” He closed the bonnet and jumped down. He pretended to type something in his pad before reaching in his bag and casually wandering over to the next drill, placing another bomb on it. It wouldn’t be enough to damage the surrounding building, but it would trigger the First Order protocols used in an attack, thus providing Rose and Hux a way out in the initial confusion in case they needed the distraction.

Two crackles in his earpiece confirmed that they had made it through the first checkpoint. 

They lingered in the engine park for another 20 minutes before they went back to the spaceport to ready the ship for departure.

Just as he sent the proper papers to the port authorities, Finn waved at him from the cockpit. “Rose’s spike is working. I’m getting a clear signal from the data node in the Outpost.”

Poe hurried into the cockpit and stared at the holo screen, which displayed a long line of code and numbers. “Any chance to get a visual on them?”

“Hm, I think this should work.” He typed a few commands and suddenly they were in the surveillance system, data feed from hundreds of surveillance cameras popping up. Finn typed fast and one after another disappeared until only one remained: it showed Rose speaking with another officer. Hux was hovering behind her, his cap pulled down, obscuring his face.

“No audio?”

Finn shook his head. “I don’t recommend it. Visuals are fairly easy, but it’s possible I might trip alarms if I fiddle with the audio. It might even create feedback that could be picked up by the Order.”

Poe pressed his lips together and stared intently at the holo. Rose lifted her chin and puffed up her chest. The officer in front of her saluted and left the room. 

Rose kept in character and clasped her hands behind her back while saying something to Hux. He gave her a sharp nod and went to the computer terminal in front of them, beginning to type.

“What are they doing? They already planted the spike,” said Finn.

“No idea, but they seem to know what they’re doing.”

Hux typed for another two minutes before he closed the terminal and returned to Rose. He gave her a short salute and she nodded. Stars, they were good. “I had no idea that Rose was such a good spy,” he half-whispered.

“She is great at everything she does,” said Finn with a smile.

“Yeah, I don’t know about that. You remember the noodles she cooked for us on the Rigel IV mission?”

“Okay, she is great at  _ most _ things she does,” admitted Finn with a chuckle.

“Or that half-cooked tomato sauce she served us on Dantooine?”

“Stop it! She’s great at everything that doesn’t involve her preparing food.”

Poe smiled and nodded, his eyes never leaving the screen. “She is brilliant, but we should never let her touch unprepared food again.”

Rose and Hux now left the room and walked down a hallway. Finn followed them with the surveillance cameras. They passed a squadron of Stormtroopers and were almost out of the compound when they noticed Rose slowing her step and turning around. A middle-aged human male with a pot belly approached. Rose crooked her eyebrow and said something, but the man bowed a few times without getting out of the way. Instead he gestured towards a door. Rose nodded in response and followed him through the door into what appeared to be a meeting room.

The man—it was impossible to see his rank from this angle—turned on his heel and seemed to question Rose. She remained calm and said something in return.

“Kriff, I don’t like this,” whispered Finn.

Poe was too focused on what was transpiring on the screen to respond. Rose puffed herself up again but the man before her didn’t seem impressed. He crooked his eyebrow and said something.

Rose clasped her hands behind her back and replied, but she seemed taken aback. Suddenly Hux stepped forward and clicked his heels together. He bowed to the man and went over to him, standing at his side. Both seemed to corner Rose.

Poe’s breath almost faltered. What the hell was going on? The officer spoke again and reached for something on his wrist, when something—it looked like a sliver of light—blinked up and Hux grabbed the man from behind. The officer reached up to his neck, but Hux had already slit his throat. The man fell to the floor, blood quickly pooling around him. Hux and Rose looked on as the poor wretch tried desperately to stanch the bleeding, but his attempts were in vain. Hux calmly wiped the blade on the man’s uniform and put it back in the sheath at his left forearm.

“Kriff.”

Rose stared at the body and visibly pulled herself together. She said something to Hux and together they made a hasty exit from the room.

“Kriff,” said Finn again.

Poe was again unable to speak. He was staring at the screen as if the success of the mission hinged on him not batting an eye, not missing a second of the event that unfolded before him.

Rose and Hux returned to the entrance of the Outpost. They waited until a staff sergeant brought them their coats and put them on like they didn’t have a care in the galaxy. Finally they walked out of the base, back into the heavy snowstorm.

Poe exhaled and let himself fall on the co-pilot seat. “Stars!”

Finn typed quickly and checked other surveillance cameras. “So far nobody has discovered the body. We need to warm the engines up and leave as fast as possible.”

“Roger that,” said Poe and started to run through the pre-flight check-ups. His mind was still replaying the scene he had just witnessed while his hands worked on auto-pilot. What had happened?

***

Rose collapsed on the seat, pulling her leather gloves off. “Let’s go.”

Poe was already taking off. “I’m on it.” He carefully maneuvered the shuttle out of the hangar, making an effort to stay within speed limits. When they were out of orbit, he made four quick jumps through hyperspace before he went into the hyperlane that brought them back to their base.

Finn turned around in the co-pilot seat. “What the kriff happened? We had visuals, but no audio.”

Rose threw her hat in the corner of the cockpit, narrowly missing Hux who was sitting on the other nearby chair. “That’s what I wanna know too!” She glared at Hux. “Why did you kill him? We could’ve muddled through!”

Hux straightened his uniform jacket. “I disagree, Sergeant. The Major was a war veteran. He knew that a surprise inspection on a career deadend base was pointless. He wanted to check our files.”

“So what—”

“We uploaded the programme with the spike only half an hour ago. There was a high probability that the system hadn’t updated yet.”

She buried her face in her hands. “Of course—and we even used a delayed-release program that hid the original upload date.” She cursed under her breath. 

Poe groaned. “But they’ll still get suspicious about the damn body in their base!”

Rose started to button up her jacket. “Yeah, but they won’t find anything. I used my best slice program. If they’re not looking in the sub-systems, they shouldn’t notice it. But of course they’ll know that the surprise inspection was fake. What about the explosives?”

“We deactivated them remotely before take-off,” said Finn. “But they’re from a local supplier—even if they happen to find them, they can’t trace them back to us.”

They were all silent for a moment. Poe glanced over his shoulder at Hux. He was still wearing his uniform, staring pensively out of the window. It was odd, seeing him in full uniform. His dyed hair only added to the strangeness of it all. Poe didn’t like it. “Hey, Hugs. You alright?” He gave him a reassuring smile.

Hux jerked his head around and a small smile formed on his lips. “I’m quite alright, Commander. Despite… everything.”

“Didn’t know that they teach close-combat with knives in the officers academy,” said Finn in a low voice.

Hux shrugged. “They don’t. But I learned quite a lot at the academy that wasn’t on the normal curriculum.”

Finn chewed on his lower lip. “It’s odd, isn’t it? Killing former comrades, I mean.”

Hux shifted in his seat, averting his gaze. “It’s them or us.”

“Yeah,” said Finn in a very quiet voice.

***

Rey, Kaydel Ko, and Bodkin were waiting for them when they landed. Finn had already called ahead and signalled that they had completed the mission. 

Bodkin sat atop a tall crate, dangling her feet in boredom. “Finally! You really could have invited me to join. This place is rather dull.”

Poe patted her on the shoulder. “Next time.”

Rey nodded at them. “Great job everyone! We’re one step closer to the treasury! Now to the next phase of—”

“Seems that you don’t need me after all,” a voice rang out. “Excellent.”

Everybody spun on their heels to face the newcomer. Poe knew that voice! His heart took a leap of joy when he set his eyes on none other than General Organa standing next to the shuttle. She had her silver-white hair bound in a bun and was wearing white med bay clothes that made her look radiant. Chewie was standing behind her, looking happy and roaring quietly.

Rey flung her arms around her. “Leia! You’re back!” Poe thought that he saw a tear glittering in her eye. 

Rose and Finn laughed. Poe went to General Organa and saluted her. “General, it’s good to see you up and about.”

Leia exhaled and pushed Rey gently away. She cupped her face with her hand and smiled. The sight of that smile alone made Poe stand up straighter, breathe lighter. She was back!

Rose was wiping over her wet eyes, beaming at everybody. Poe couldn’t help but grin.

“It’s good to see you all in good health,” said Leia in her usual warm voice. Then her eyes locked onto Hux who was standing behind everyone else. He couldn’t quite hide from her gaze despite keeping his distance.

He straightened his back. “General Organa.”

The smile faded from her face, but it didn’t quite disappear. “General Hux.” Her eyes dropped to his hands, noticing the lack of handcuffs. “Rey, mind to bring me up to speed?”

Rey nodded eagerly. “Of course. This way please.”

Leia smiled once again at everybody before turning to leave. Only then did Poe notice the cane and her slow walking movements—she was far from being her usual tenacious, scuff-proof self.

Chewie held his arm out and Leia took it. Rey settled into a slow pace next to her and was inquiring if she needed more help. Leia shook her head as they made their way out of the landing zone.

Finn and Kaydel Ko followed her, leaving Bodkin, Rose, Poe, and Hux alone.

“Wow, so that was the legendary Leia Organa, huh?” asked Bodkin. “I guess even galactic heroes get old.”

Poe frowned. “What are you talking about? She is only a bit shaky. She will be fine in no time.”

Rose picked at her hands. “Yeah, she will be just fine.”

Hux had a pensive look on his face. Poe smiled at him. “Come on—time to get you out of that uniform and do away with the dye.”

Hux blinked and returned the smile. “Agreed.”

***

Poe ran his hand through Hux’s hair, rubbing gently at his scalp in his attempts at washing the dye out. He had to tiptoe to reach his head, but he didn’t mind. It was nice, standing so close to Hux, taking care of him. From the looks of it Hux liked it too—there was a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“There you go,” said Poe. “I missed your ginger hair, even though blonde suited you well.”

“Flatterer.”

“Hey, don’t you know? Fools and children always speak the truth.”

Hux slicked his wet hair back. “Do you think that General Organa will follow through with our plan?”

Poe shrugged and gave him a peck. “Don’t worry. It’s a solid plan—she will go through with it.” A small voice in the back of his mind whispered doubts.

“You’re making that face again,” said Hux as he put shampoo in Poe’s hair.

“What face?”

“The one you always make when you are brooding.” He massaged the shampoo in.

Poe laughed. “Brooding? Me? Come on, that’s not my style.”

Hux scoffed. “Of course you do.”

How had Hux seen through him? He knew him, that’s how. They were really getting to know one another. A warm feeling spread out in his chest—Hux was beginning to know him, read him even. He smiled. “How about that soup you like so much? I could get the ingredients I think.”

“You don’t have to cook all the time, Poe,” said Hux in an affectionate voice.

“I know, but I like doing it. And you like it, don’t you?” Poe turned up the water and showered.

Hux turned the water off and gave him a peck. “How about I cook for you tonight?”

Poe blinked. “What?”

Hux grabbed the towel and started to rub himself dry. “I think it’s my turn.”

“Well, if you don’t mind…”

He threw Poe a fresh towel and started to dress himself. “I don’t, that’s why I suggested it.”

Poe dried himself as well. “I’m looking forward to it!”

At this moment a voice rang out from outside. “Poe!”

Poe wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped outside. Kaydel Ko crooked her eyebrow. “I hate to interrupt the two of you, but General Organa wants a word with you.”

Poe didn’t like the sound of that—it felt like he was being called to the academy director for staying out past curfew. He mustered a smile. “Sure.”

***

General Organa was in the command tent seated on a chair behind the inactive holotable. Kaydel Ko stepped behind her and clasped her hands behind her back. 

“General,” he said and gave her a nod.

“Commander Dameron… Poe, how good of you to join me,” began Leia. Her voice sounded warm, reminding him of summer. “Rey has brought me up to speed, and Bodkin was kind enough to provide me with her views of the events.”

Poe frowned. “That sounds ominous.”

She gestured for him to sit. “Please take a seat. Ominous? That was not my intention.”

He sat down, back straight, a light smile on his lips. “This is about Hugs, isn’t it?”

She chuckled. “Of course it is.”

He exhaled and bit his lip. Had Rey told her about his relationship with him? “Rey thinks he’s ready for the mission, General.”

“So I’m told.” She took a sip of her tea. The aroma told Poe that it was black, her favourite.

“Why is it that you want to see me then?”

“I want to keep an eye on him. He is not to participate in the raid.”

“But—”

“This is not a discussion, Commander. The decision is already made.”

He pressed his lips together. “I take it you have already informed Rey about the change of plans?”

“I did. To be honest, I was quite surprised that she agreed to it in the first place.”

“Sometimes we need to be bold.”

She smiled at him. “Of course.”

He had known, of course, that it wouldn’t be easy to convince Leia to trust Hux. But he hadn’t expected her to make a decision without having talked to Hux at all. He cleared his throat. “You should talk to him. He isn’t—”

“—the man who shot us down above Crait?”

That caught Poe off guard. “No—I mean, yes he is—”

“I know human nature, Poe.”

Poe frowned. “With all due respect, General—I think it would be prudent to assess him yourself. I wasn’t his greatest fan either, but… he has so much potential. Just ask Rose—she has been working with him on all sorts of projects.”

Leia sat up straighter. “What kind of projects?”

“Er, they are fixing tech I think?”

Leia frowned. “You think? You don’t even know what they are working on?”

Poe gulped. “Rose—”

“Rose is not a senior officer—you are. And so is Finn and Rey.” Leia glanced over her shoulder to Kaydel Ko. “Major?”

Kaydel Ko checked her pad. “They have been working on updating the signal jammer, overhauling the air filters, fixing the conservator, updating the—”

“Thank you, Major Connix.” Leia turned her attention again on Poe. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to—her meaning was clear: she thought he had neglected his duty.

Poe rolled his shoulders back. Calm, he had to stay calm and make his argument. “This is not my field of speciality. Rose is a very good officer, and the best engineer we have. I trust her judgment. I don’t have to micromanage her.”

Leia pursed her lips. “I see.”

“Rey had to make a call—either treat Hux as a prisoner or as an ally. I trust him and she chose to trust him as well.”

Leia sipped from her mug. “But I don’t trust him.”

“Alright, but how do you want to treat him?”

She took another sip of tea. “As an ally, of course. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t be cautious. Good day to you, Commander.” Leia turned to Kaydel Ko. “Please call in Lieutenant Jessika Pava next.”

It was obvious that the conversation was over. Poe stood up and gave her a sharp nod. “General.” He turned on his heel and left.


	21. Cut and Run

“This is ridiculous,” muttered Poe as he paced back and forth in Hux’s cargo room. “You know the inner workings of the First Order—”

“So does Captain Finn,” interjected Hux. He sat on his bed, reading something on his data pad.

Poe threw his arms in the air. “Why do you say that? You are an integral part of the plan!”

“General Organa has made her decision and it’s our duty to follow her orders.”

“That’s—that’s not the point!”

Hux looked up and crooked his eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Sidelining you is not fair.” Poe said, annoyed. How could Hux stay so calm? “She hasn’t even talked to you!”

“She doesn’t have to—she is the commanding officer and you are her subordinate. She doesn’t owe you an explanation and she certainly doesn’t have to waste her time with me.”

“Stop saying that!” huffed Poe. “Rey had already agreed to it!”

Hux put the pad down. “I won’t listen to you disrespecting your commanding General, Poe!” He grabbed his boots and put them on. “I need to prepare our dinner, so if you would excuse me.”

Poe frowned. “What? So I’m not allowed to be indignant on your behalf?” He licked his lips. “Come on, I was just blowing off some steam. I wanted you to go on this mission—”

“To what end?” Hux exhaled. “This is about the success of the mission, not about personal preferences.”

Poe threw his hands in the air. “Of course not, but I believe you’re the best choice for this mission.”

Hux headed out of the cargo bay. “We have to follow her orders.”

Poe followed Hux and grabbed him by his hand, spinning him around. “There is more to the Resistance than blindly following orders. Even a seasoned leader like General Organa can make mistakes. We’re allowed to question her—you are allowed to question her decision. You’re allowed to be pissed.”

Hux looked taken aback. “I—I’m not angry.” Then he put his hand on Poe’s, squeezing it gently. “I thought you wanted to be more… obedient.”

Poe’s stomach dropped. “What?”

“You told me that you regretted D’Qar, implying that you should have listened to Vice Admiral Holdo.”

Poe pulled his hand back. “That’s not the same—I have no intention of disobeying General Organa’s commands. All I want is for you to—”

“I’m comfortable with my role in this operation, Poe.”

“Then why didn’t you say so in the first place?”

“Because you just wanted ‘to blow off steam’ as you called it. I didn’t think you were actually looking for a conversation.”

Poe put his hands on his hips and exhaled. “Of course I was. I thought that you were just being modest and I guess I wanted to coax you out of your shell.”

Hux pressed his lips together. “Why is this so important to you?”

Something in his tone suggested that he already knew the answer. Poe thought about the question for a moment. “I keep thinking about all these nasty glares, the whispers behind your back. Perhaps I just want them to see how great you are, so that they can trust you.”

“You won’t achieve that with questioning General Organa,” said Hux in a quiet voice. “They will always despise me. It’s just like Major Connix said: they are just waiting for me to turn on them.”

Poe smiled nervously. “Nonsense—they just don’t know you yet.”

“It bothers you, doesn’t it? That the others don’t like me.”

Poe looked down on the tips of his boots, hesitating. “I want people to like me. I want to be their friend—I know that it’s silly, but it’s just how I am. I guess I want my friends to like you too.” He looked up, frowning. “I want you to be happy.”

“Poe… they will never forgive me. You know why.”

He gulped, and managed another nervous smile. “That’s only because they haven’t tasted your baking.”

“I need to go.” He leaned in and gave Poe a peck. “See you later.”

Poe watched him disappear down the hallway. He put his hand on the doorframe and wiped over his face. He felt ill. He hadn’t forgotten about D’Qar, but—

“You’re too nice, Curly. Not even a proper lover’s quarrel.”

He jerked his head to the left and saw Bodkin approaching. “I didn’t know that you were here.”

She shrugged. “I was looking for you and figured that you were with Red.”

Had she been listening? The prospect made him uncomfortable. He made an effort to smile. “Guilty as charged. What did you want to talk about?”

She grabbed her elbow and exhaled. “General Organa has told me to stay out of the command tent. She doesn’t trust me… well, she was more diplomatic about it, but still. I thought that maybe you could talk to her. I would like to be a part of the planning. I’m good at it.”

“I’m sorry, but currently I’m not in her good graces.”

“Yeah, but I’m not Hux, so maybe she’ll make an exception.”

Poe frowned and she cleared her throat. “Hey, nothing against your boyfriend, but he’s the guy who tried to kill you more than once.” 

“I know,” said Poe, turning on his heel and leaving Bodkin in his wake. He stomped down the ramp, cursing under his breath. What was it with people and their need to state the obvious? Couldn’t they just get along?

He kept walking, getting angrier by the minute. Why wouldn’t General Organa listen to him? She should have realised that he had learned his lesson, that he wouldn’t defy her orders again. But he was still allowed to think, to disagree with her! Stars! He didn’t even know why he was so worked up about it! He  _ knew  _ that it was her prerogative to change mission parameters. Just as he  _ knew  _ that Hux was the right man for the mission.

Kriff! If only he could just—no, those kind of thoughts would lead to some stupid action he would regret. Calm, he had to calm down. He kept walking and took deep breaths. Nothing bad had happened, everything was fine. General Organa didn’t trust Hux and Bodkin, but they were still vital for the mission. He exhaled and took another deep breath. 

The mission was important. And—

Somebody behind him cleared their throat. Poe closed his eyes. “Did you hear it from Bodkin?”

Finn chuckled. “What?”

Poe sighed and turned around. Finn held two cups of caf in his hands and handed one to Poe. “Thanks buddy.”

“Now, care to tell me what’s bugging you or shall I guess?”

Poe took a sip. “Give me your best guess.”

Finn smacked his lips. “You just learned that your favorite hair conditioner is out of stock.”

Poe laughed.

“No? Damn, I really thought that was it.”

“Is it really that obvious?” asked Poe after a moment of silence.

Finn put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. He didn’t even need to say anything. Finn knew what was up, and with this single gesture he showed him that he understood. It comforted him.

“Do you think she knows?” asked Poe.

“I think so. Perhaps that’s why she decided to take him off the mission. You are a great leader and an even better pilot, but you have a tendency to let emotions get the better of you.”

Poe sighed. “I try to manage it, but sometimes it just boils up and I—” He gestured vaguely. “My dad used to say that I was as hot blooded as my mom.”

“How is she like?”

Poe smiled sadly. “Great leader, even better pilot—but she doesn’t have her temper in check. She even got expelled from the fleet for starting a brawl with some ground pounders.”

Finn took a gulp of caf. “Good thing that you didn’t inherit her violent streak too.”

“It’s funny, all my life I didn’t get along with her—she was so fierce, unforgiving even. And now it turns out that I’m just like her.”

“Every now and then I think about my parents and wonder… who were they?” said Finn with a wistful smile. “Do I look like them, talk like them?”

Poe sat down on the ground and leaned against a tree. “You don’t remember them at all?”

Finn grimaced. “I’m not sure. Sometimes I think that I dream about them, but it’s more likely that it’s some memory from the FO nursery.”

“I bet your mom and dad were good people. After all the shit you’ve gone through with the Order, you still managed to break free and become someone extraordinary.”

“You think so?”

“Honestly? I don’t know how much is in your genes and how much is the environment you grow up in.” Poe chuckled. “I bet your father was a merchant, travelling a lot. Your mother would have been his bookkeeper because he would be too blue eyed to see through scams.”

Finn smiled. “I like that. He would have liked sweets—just like me. My mother would have read stories to me every night—stories about adventurers.”

Poe’s smile faded a bit. “In the end, we have to be our own person.”

“True.”

“I guess I still have to learn that lesson.” He took another sip. “I keep telling Hugs what he’s supposed to do and think.”

“Well, it makes sense that you try to teach him how we do things around here.”

“But on the other hand, I like him just as he is.” Poe chewed on his lip. “He is his own person. Mysterious, maddening, and complicated.”

Finn raised an eyebrow. “That’s putting it mildly.”

Hearing these words gave Poe a stab in his heart. “Do you think you can ever forgive him?”

Finn thought about it. “Perhaps it’s not about forgiveness, but redemption? I mean, I made my share of mistakes. I felt bad about it, but then I realised that feeling bad doesn’t change anything, neither does asking for forgiveness. The only thing I can do is try to redeem myself with my actions.”

Poe gulped down the rest of his caf. Finn was right. He had been too hung up on the idea of his friends forgiving Hux, of them coming to like him. “Maybe I was upset because I thought this mission was his chance at redemption.”

Finn smiled sadly. “Come on, buddy. You know that there is no heroism in this galaxy. And even if there were: a single mission doesn’t make him a hero.”

Poe sighed. “I know, I guess I just hoped… I don't know.”

“You know why I admire General Organa so much?” Finn didn’t wait for an answer and continued: “Because even after all these years, after everything she has lost, she never gave up. People think she’s a galactic legend because she defeated the Old Empire. They’re wrong—she is a legend because she kept going. I mean—can you imagine? The strength and the will needed to keep going decade after decade?”

“She was my childhood hero. I used to daydream at school how she would give me a medal,” admitted Poe. “I was so excited to meet her and Han Solo.” He laughed. “And I was so proud when she promoted me to Captain and then to Commander. But after D’Qar… I guess I’m in need of redemption too.”

Finn looked at Poe for a moment before he stared into the distance. “Perhaps I can forgive him after all.”

Poe perked up. “Really?”

“The question is… do you think he can forgive himself?”

Poe grimaced and shook his head.

“Yeah, probably not.”

***

Poe dabbed his mouth with a napkin. “That was delicious!” The dough pockets had been spicy, just how Poe liked it.

Hux blushed a little. “I simply followed the recipe.”

Poe leaned over and gave him a kiss. “I loved it.”

“No need to oversell it,” said Hux and started to collect the plates and the cutlery. He smiled a little when he said it. Stars, he looked handsome in the candle light.

“I appreciate it, Armitage,” he said quietly.

Hux’s brow twitched and he started to prepare caf for Poe and tea for himself. “Are you still brooding?”

Stars, he really knew him. “In a way. I talked to Finn and I realised that I have been a moron.”

“Ah, deeper insight is the first step to improvement.”

Poe chuckled. “And yet you cook for said moron, even spend time with him.”

“I’ve been known to be a fool myself from time to time.” He poured the caf into a mug, adding two pieces of sweetener before handing it to Poe. “What did you talk about?”

Poe took the caf. “Thanks. Well… we talked about our parents.”

Hux shifted his weight. It always made him uncomfortable when he talked about family.

“When this is all over, I want to introduce you to my mom and my dad.”

Hux blinked but still didn’t say anything.

Poe cleared his throat and continued. “I love my parents, but my mom… she was always so expectant. She holds herself to high standards and expects the same from everybody around her. It drove me mad when I was a teenager—she couldn’t understand why some people couldn’t succeed. To her it was a question of will and determination and nothing else.” He put the caf down and scooted closer to Hux, taking his hand. “I took the first shuttle out of Yavin 4—right to the pilot academy on Coruscant. Back then I thought I was rebelling against her overbearing love and expectation, but now I think I just ran away.”

Hux caressed Poe’s hand with his thumb. “Sometimes running away is better than staying.”

“Perhaps it’s not about running or staying, but about confronting the reason why we want to get away in the first place.”

“So you want to go back to confront her?”

Poe sighed. “My mom is not really the issue—it’s me. Whatever she has said and done isn’t supposed to define me.”

“And yet it does.”

“Of course it does. But it isn’t supposed to.”

Hux pulled the corners of his mouth down. “It doesn’t matter if it’s supposed to or if we like it or not.” He let go of Poe’s hand and reached for his tea. He pulled the tea egg out and put it on a small saucer.

“I guess you’re right. But I still want to introduce you to them.”

“What do you hope to achieve by dragging me to your parents?” huffed Hux. “Wouldn’t it be better to go alone and—”

“Stars! I want to ‘drag’ you to my parents because I want them to know you!”

Hux scoffed. “I fail to see the point. Unless you want their approval?” He pressed his lips together and stared into the tea mug in his hands. Poe could literally see the gears turning in his head.

“Armitage…”

“I don’t know why you even bother. Of course they won’t approve! How could they?”

Poe blinked and realisation dawned upon him. Hux hadn’t understood the meaning of the gesture. “Don’t—don’t people in the First Order introduce their partners to their parents?”

Hux frowned. “Some do. Mostly to show off their connections to high command.”

“Well, on Yavin it’s something people do when the relationship is getting serious,” said Poe nonchalantly.

“I—I don’t understand.”

Poe scooted closer to Hux and gave him a peck on the cheek. “I’m in love with you, Hugs. I know that I’m a terrible boyfriend, but I want to make up for it. I want to show you that I’m serious about us.”

The hard line around Hux’s mouth softened. “Are you certain? I’m not—” he broke off. “You don’t have to.”

“But I want to,” whispered Poe and kissed him again. “Remember what I told you on Rishi about who I am? I’m tenacious, confident, talkative, athletic, and a very good judge of character.”

Hux returned the tender kiss. “I can attest to the talkative part. And you are in great shape.” He trailed Poe’s muscular shoulders.

“Plus, I’m persistent to the point of stubbornness. I want  _ you _ , so you won’t get rid of me any time soon.”

“You’re impossible,” said Hux quietly.

“It’s your fault really,” whispered Poe and cupped his cheek. “You are the smartest, wittiest, and most handsome man I’ve ever met. How could I resist?”

Hux smiled a little and crooked an eyebrow. Stars, he really was handsome when he wore that expression. “Why Commander, are you really serious for once?”

Poe gave Hux his best smug grin. “I’m always serious.”

Hux leaned in for another kiss.

***

“You know, I was serious when I said that I wanted to go back home and stop running,” said Poe. He carded his fingers through Hux’s soft hair as they lay next to each other.

“What do you expect to gain from going back?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just have this feeling that it’s time to return. Perhaps it’s the grown-up thing to do.”

“You’re past 30, Poe. You are grown up.”

“Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it.” He sighed. “I kept telling everybody for years that I’m into casual sex. But that’s not true. I was just scared to get hurt. That’s not exactly mature.”

Hux snuggled up to him. “Did it help? Were you not hurt?”

Poe laughed joylessly. “Of course not. The only thing it achieved was that people thought I was shallow. I guess one day I started to believe it myself.”

“Everybody tries to find a way to get through life.” Hux ran his hands over Poe’s chest. “It’s too hard without something to hold onto.”

“I guess.”

“Today I was working with Sergeant Tico on a signal to disturb the hyperspace tracker. We made good progress with the—well, it doesn’t matter. We were working together—I was running the numbers and she was figuring out the frequency when two pilots entered the maintenance tent. They shot me a nasty glare. She noticed right away and proposed that we take a break—I assume it was her way to avoid confrontation with them.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, I can handle a few stares. I was more concerned with Rose—she looked troubled. At first I thought she was annoyed that we were interrupted, but upon inquiry she said that she was just a bit tired. She looked sad and kept holding the silver medallion she wears around her neck in a tight grip.” Hux exhaled. “It was the same pendant she wore when I ordered her and Captain Finn’s execution...”

Poe continued to caress Hux’s hair. “Her sister had the other half of the medallion. She was killed above D’Qar.”

Hux was silent for a moment. “She has lost so much because of the Order, because of me. It’s a wonder that she can stand the sight of me.”

“She keeps saying that we won’t win the war by destroying what we hate, but by protecting what we love.”

“Hm, she is really a very smart and wise woman.”

“It sounds trivial, but it’s true. I’ve seen how my mom was eaten up by her hatred for long dead enemies. Who knows? Perhaps that was why she was so hard on herself and everybody around her?”

“Does Sergeant Tico have other siblings?”

“No, after Hays Minor was invaded by the Order there was only her mother and her sister left.” Poe thought about Rose; she was a genius, strong and fearless. But lately he caught her staring blankly at something in the distance. She seemed lonely and sad, unless she was working on tech of course—then there was a spark in her eyes.

“Perhaps I should try to keep my distance,” said Hux pensively. “Without doubt my presence is reminding her of what she has lost.”

Poe turned to face him. “She didn’t look like she despised you the other day when she burst in here with her tech findings.”

Hux blushed a little. “Ah, yes. I had forgotten about it.”

Poe kissed him. “Come on, let’s clean up and get some sleep.”


	22. Hoist the Colours

The stars flew past Poe in a flurry as he piloted the  _ Iron Butterfly _ towards the rendezvous point on Mek-Sha. BB-8 beeped into his earpiece: “ ETA = 3 minutes, 12 seconds .”

“Thanks buddy,” he said with a smile.

Exactly 3 minutes and 12 seconds later he dropped out of hyperspace. The massive space station was right in front of him. The city was built into the meteor and had a bluish shimmering shield protecting it from space. As he flew nearer, he noticed the immense spaceport right outside the shield. Several cargo freighters were docked. Dark yellow fuel hoses were inserted into their sides, making them look like they were caught in a spider's web. 

His earpiece crackled to life.

“ _ To all teams—this is Paintbox. Confirm your status _ ,” said Kaydel Ko.

“ _ Team Red is in position _ ,” said Hux in his clipped accent.

“ _ Team Black is ready. Everything is proceeding according to plan _ ,” said Rose. “ _ Our shift is about to start—will check in when ready _ .”

“This is leader Green,” said Poe. “We’re assembling according to plan. Team Green, please acknowledge.”

Chewie roared. “ _ Green 2 incoming _ .”

“ _ Green 3 ready _ ,” said Jess.

“ _ Team Blue is in position _ ,” said Rey.

Poe took a deep breath. This was it—all they needed now was the treasury to come in as anticipated. He began landing checks and about a minute later he landed in a small hangar. He exited his fighter and winced a little at the sight of all the paint they had used on his beloved ship to disguise it. He put his hand on the belly of the ship and whispered. “Don’t worry—I will clean you after this. And Hugs will update your targeting system like he promised.”

An indignant beep behind him made him turn around. He crouched down to BB-8 and patted it. “And you’ll get an update too, buddy.”

He got up and straightened his back. First things first—he had to meet up with the others. He zipped his leather jacket up and blended into the crowd.

Mek-Sha was like every port town he had ever been to loud, dirty, full of life and smells. There were always merchants trying to sell food and weapons, and thugs lounging in dark corners. He found the  _ Sinking Sailor _ right away—the cantina was hard to miss with its colourful neon-billboard signs.

He ordered a pint of beer at the counter and retreated into a booth in the back. Shortly after, Chewie and Jess appeared. They joined him and Poe activated his earpiece. “Team Green in position.”

“ _ Paintbox acknowledges. Team Red, what do your sensors say? _ ”

“ _ The canvas is en route. ETA 1 hour and 20 minutes _ ,” said Hux. He sounded as professional as always, even if he was stuck on a freighter a few hundred kilometers away from Mek-Sha. Well, at least he could supervise the mission together with Captain Yjio.

At least they—his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a shrill laughter. He scanned the room. Something about that laughter… it bothered him, but he didn’t know why.

“What is it?” asked Jess.

“It’s… nothing,” replied Poe. “Keep your eyes open.” He took a sip of his stale beer and grimaced. “And stick to caf, this swill is horrible.”

Chewie sniffed. “ It stinks .”

Poe forced himself to grin. “Come on, you have been in some gin palaces in your time, Chewie. It’s not so bad.”

He leaned back and scanned the room again. Was he just anxious? No, something was off and he couldn’t put his finger on it. Should he report it? No, best to keep radio silence until he had something to report.

He checked his chrono—Rose and Bodkin had started their shift as dock workers. They wouldn’t report unless there was trouble. If everything went according to plan, Rose would sneak aboard the treasury as a local worker. From there she would change clothes and infiltrate the ship as a lowly Lieutenant. 

She would then proceed to meet up with Finn and Rey, who would access the ship as First Order officers with the fake personnel files they had uploaded from Hays Minor. His thoughts returned to Hux… if only he could have been on Team Blue together with Finn. He exhaled. Well, Rey was certainly a very skilled fighter and could Force persuade her way through some of the checkpoints. He had to admit that General Organa’s plan was sound.

As soon as the signal came, Team Green would prepare to evacuate the teams. They would board the  _ Falcon  _ and he and Jess would provide cover fire if needed.

Easy. He took a deep breath. And still, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling. He shifted in his seat. “Chewie? You know how General Solo got a bad feeling about missions?”

“ Sure—he got grumpier than usual and mumbled something about having a bad feeling .”

“Well, I’ve got a bad feeling too. Was he ever wrong about them?”

Chewie huffed. “ He was always right, but then again, he had quite a lot of enemies because he wasn’t the most reliable business partner .” Chewie howled quieter. “ Silly human .”

Poe gulped. It was pretty clear that Chewie missed his friend. He licked his lips and activated his radio. “Paintbox, please relay the following message to Silver: I got a bad feeling about this.”

“ _ Roger _ .”

Seconds later Kaydel Ko called him again. “ _ Silver acknowledges and asks if you want to abort the mission _ .”

Poe rolled his shoulders back. “No—tell all teams to be alert. I’ll go investigate.”

“ _ Roger _ .”

Jess frowned. “What do you want us to do?”

“We stick to the plan. I think I need to follow my instinct and check the cantina out. Our priority is to get our people out if things go south, so keep ready.”

He grabbed his empty beer glass and made his way to the counter. He listened to the chatter around him. Most of the patrons were occupied with the latest results of a huttball match. He lifted his empty glass and the barkeep—an elderly Chiss—retrieved a fresh glass and poured him a fresh beer.

Poe put a credit stick down on the counter… credit stick. Paying the price… not overtipping. Something tugged at the corner of his mind. Then he saw dark spots on the wooden counter from spilled drinks. Wood… now it fell like dragon scales from his eyes. The laughter he had heard—it hadn’t been laughter at all. It was the shrill sound Kowakian monkey-lizards made. He stared at the foamless beer in front of him. 

Was it possible? No, no it couldn’t… he rolled his shoulders back and waved at the barkeep.

“More beer?” he asked.

Poe shook his head and smiled. “Nah, listen—my niece is crazy for Kowakian monkey-lizards, and I wondered if there are any on this station? Maybe a trader—”

“Who knows? But I don’t know any respectable traders who deal with those little pests.”

“Ah, I see. Thank you.”

He took his beer and headed back to Jess and Chewie. “My gut tells me that the pirates from Rishi are here.”

“ What? ”

Poe rubbed his temples. “I think I heard a monkey-lizard, and the pirate captain had one. It’s far-fetched, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m right.”

Jess grimaced. “Should we call it off?”

“No, this is a huge chance for us, and we can’t just let it go because of a hunch. What worries me more is if Bodkin is in on it.” Kriff, what was he supposed to do? Would Bodkin work with Aashum'crebuy? If he called Kaydel Ko and it was nothing… but Rose could be in danger.

His earpiece activated itself. “ _ This is Team Red. The Canvas is about to dock on pier 67. It’s accompanied by a destroyer and two frigates who are keeping their distance. Standard protocol to protect valuable cargo from surprise attacks. They will deploy TIE-fighters to patrol the space… now. _ ”

It was too late to do something about his hunch. Team Black and Team Blue were on their way. They had been alerted by his earlier report, at least. That was all he could do right now. It was not as if Aashum'crebuy was stupid enough to show herself. Hm, but then again, he was certain that he had heard her disgusting pet. She  _ was  _ here. But perhaps her people were already waiting to try to steal credits from the treasury.

Poe closed his eyes. Calm down, he had to calm down. What would Rey do? She would reach out with the Force—okay scratch that. What would Hux do? He would analyze everything and come up with some detail that would make the difference, being the bean counter he is. 

Bean counter… nitpicker… nuts… the monkey-lizard. If he was right, Aashum'crebuy had brought it with her. It was silly and unnecessary, but she brought it along anyway. It liked to eat nuts—at least it had done so on Rishi. He jumped up and went back to the bar.

As soon as the barkeep had appeared, he smacked three credit sticks on the counter. “One question, one answer.”

The barkeep eyed the credit stick and nodded eagerly.

“Did a customer recently order a large amount of nuts?”

The barkeep looked taken aback, but he licked his lips and nodded again. “Booth 34, upstairs to the left.”

“Thanks,” he put another credit stick on the counter. “For your trouble.”

Back at the table Poe leaned closer to Chewie and Jess. “They’re upstairs. Unless I’m completely wrong, of course.”

“ I’ll go up and deal with them ,” growled Chewie.

Poe lifted his hand. “First we need to verify my suspicion. I’ll go and you guys give me backup.” He activated his comm. “Team Green has sighted possible troublemakers. We’ll report back in 10 minutes.”

_ “Roger.” _

He got up from the table and went to the stairs that led up to the gallery. From the corner of his eye he scanned the booths that lined the wall. Sure enough, he spotted a burly man that looked like that brute Sylop. He didn’t get a good enough look, but if that was him… he needed to see Aashum'crebuy to be sure. He reached the top of the stairs and rolled his shoulders back. Then he casually strolled down the gallery until he reached booth 34.

Aashum'crebuy was lounging comfortably in the back of the booth, petting her red lizard-monkey that was adorned with a golden collar and a matching leash. It was happily munching on the nuts she had ordered from the bar. To the right and left of her were a Twi’lek woman and a Nautolan man. Both looked every bit as dodgy as her. At the sight of him, her eyes went wide. The carefree grin she had been wearing faded.

“Captain!” said Poe and gave her his most charming smile. “What a happy coincidence!”

She schooled her features before a smug grin appeared on her lips. “Indeed! I missed your rugged good looks, Mr. Bey.”

“I had to cut my vacation on your lovely island short, my dear Captain. But I was hoping to see you again.” It didn’t escape his notice that Sylop was slowly rising from his seat.

Before he could stand upright, Chewie's hand landed on his shoulder. The towering Wookie squeezed warningly, making Sylop wince. “ No need to get up ,” howled Chewie.

It was satisfying to see the pirates pale at the sight of the Wookie. Poe sat down at the table and took a glass that was standing in front of one of the tough looking pirates. He took a whiff of the contents. “I’m a bit surprised that you would come here and drink this cheap knock-off rum.”

“Old Ash likes to go on vacation too,” she retorted. 

Chewie intensified his grip and Sylop grimaced. 

“Really? I’m new here. What would you recommend for sightseeing?” asked Poe.

Aashum'crebuy pursed her lips. “I see you ditched the clam—but then again, I guess you didn’t need him anymore after you dug the pearl out.”

She was trying to bait him. He couldn’t help but be bothered by the comment. “We don’t discard people, Captain. But I’m sure you already know that.” Was she aware of his relationship with Hux?. If Bodkin had disclosed their plan, she certainly would have told her about it.

She smirked and her pet giggled. “Ah, the high and mighty Resistance… you really think that your little war with the black jackets changes anything in this galaxy?”

Huh—it had been the perfect opportunity to taunt him with Hux, and yet she hadn’t. Why? Didn’t she know about it? “At least I believe in something besides credits. I  _ try  _ to make the galaxy a better place instead of just going along with it.”

She pulled the corners of her mouth down. “I liked you better before. You used to be funny.”

This was leading nowhere. He didn't have time to play games. “It stopped being funny after you threw me in the brig,” he said coldly. “And it stopped being funny when you tortured Hux.”

She crooked an eyebrow. “Who? Ah, the clam.”

He had to make her talk. The faster the better. His sight fell on the monkey-lizard. Kriff. He grabbed its golden leash and pulled it towards him. The animal squealed so loud that it gave Poe a stab to his heart.

Aashum'crebuy jerked forward, all smugness now wiped from her face. “Don’t you dare!”

Poe made an effort to grin. “What? Aren’t I allowed to pet this ugly thing?”

She sank back in her seat.

“Here is the deal,” said Poe in a low voice. “You tell me now where your crew is, and you can walk out of here alive.”

She blanched. “The Resistance—”

“You said it yourself—we’re fighting the war and we have lost so much. Killed so many people. You think we will stop here and now?”

“And  _ you _ think I would give up everything just because of your threats? In the face of all that money?” 

“You won’t be able to spend it when you’re dead.”

“Old Ash bows before no one, pretty boy!” she hissed and reached under the table.

A dry cracking noise from his right suddenly sounded. Sylop collapsed and muffled sounds could be heard. Aashum'crebuy was knocked back and stared at the smoking hole in her chest before she fell face first on the table. Her other two companions were already dead on the floor. 

Poe let go of the lizard-monkey’s leash. With a squeal, it scurried to Aashum'crebuy’s lifeless corpse and sniffed at her before disappearing under the table.

Jess stepped out from behind Chewie and screwed the silencer off her blaster. “What a shitshow.”

Poe felt a lump in his throat. He gulped, but it didn’t go away. He got up and activated his holo as they ventured down the stairs before other customers noticed the bodies in the booth. “Team Green confirms independent hostile forces,” he whispered.

“ _ This is Paintbox. Code? _ ”

“Code Purple.”

A light crackle could be heard in his earpiece as they moved his frequency to a separate line. “ _ The line is secure _ .”

“We just encountered pirates from Rishi. They know about the canvas.”

“ _ I knew we shouldn’t have trusted Bodkin _ ,” sighed Kaydel Ko. “ _ What happened? _ ”

“We tried to gather intel, but they fought back. The captain and her cronies are dead, but we don’t know about the rest of her crew.” They strode out of the cantina and split up, everybody heading to their ship. “The odd thing was that they didn’t seem to know certain details Bodkin would know. Either she has not sold us out, or she didn’t tell them everything.”

“ _ Kriff _ .”

“What’s the status of Team Black and Blue?”

“ _ As far as we know, everything is going according to plan. Rose should be inside the treasury in about two minutes. Team Blue is probably already on board, provided the fake files worked out. _ ”

“Whatever the pirates are planning, they are likely piggy-backing on our operation. I can’t see them conducting a frontal attack.” Damn, too bad that Aashum'crebuy was dead! What the heck were they planning? “Patch Team Red into this line.”

“ _ What? _ ”

“I need to talk to Hux. He’s a tactician and knows First Order protocols.”

For a moment the line was silent, then it crackled. “ _ Silver is listening in. Team Red is on the line _ .”

_ “This is Team Red reporting. _ ” Hearing Hux’s voice calmed him down. They could still pull this off! He quickly retold the events.

“ _ This is unfortunate _ .” Hux sounded cool and collected. Just what he needed.

“The pirates want to steal the money, but how would they do that? I mean, they can’t pull it off themselves, so they have to wait for an opening during our mission.” He had reached the  _ Iron Butterfly _ and gestured to BB-8 to hoist itself up so that they could take off in a matter of moments. “Where could they try to steal money?”

“ _ Given that their objective is getting their hands on the credits we plan to destroy, they would have to board the Treasury and get to the vault before we do or… _ ” Hux broke off before he continued to talk. “ _ They can’t transport large amounts off ship. Not without the Order noticing. _ ”

“If this was a military operation, I would create some kind of distraction,” said Poe.

“ _ Agreed. I would post a small team to cause a small disruption. One that’s enough to draw attention, but not enough for the Treasury to initiate lock-down protocols _ .”

“ _ This is Silver speaking _ ,” chimed in General Organa. “ _ Pirates are opportunists. They can’t conduct a military-scale operation _ .”

“ _ I agree. As far as we know, Bodkin is their only agent with access to the ship. Hm, she could cross-wire one of the fuel lines with the ventilation system and could gather the gaseous credits after Rose has completed the mission. Even a fraction of it could be distilled into solid gold _ .”

Poe almost gasped. “That’s it! That has to be it! The rest of their crew are somewhere preparing to fill one of their ships with the gas.”

“ _ That’s… brilliant. Why didn’t we think of it? _ ” asked General Organa.

It was a very good question. Imagine what they could do with all those funds—it would have been—

“ _ According to First Order regulation, the ventilation system and all other life-supporting systems have to be separated from all other systems in order to _ —”

“Get to the point,” said Poe quickly.

“ _ It's very risky. The FO engineering would register that something is off. _ ” Hux scoffed. “ _ If they are competent, they would have set up a warning system to fix any unwanted interference. _ ”

“ _ How fast would they detect that something is off? _ ” asked General Organa.

“ _ The moment the air is sucked into the fuel lines _ ,” said Hux. “ _ Unless the warning system is overridden with command codes _ .” He hesitated for a moment. “ _ I’m requesting permission to board the Treasury, General. Perhaps my old command codes could prevent raising an alarm. _ ”

“I agree. There is already a fake file with Hux’s picture in their system.”

“ _ No, it’s too much of a risk. Team Blue can run interference—they are already on board and Rey is strong in the Force _ .”

“ _ General, with all due respect. Sergeant Tico can’t possibly make it out of the secure area of the vault in time if the alarm goes off. The security protocols _ —”

“ _ My decision stands. Rose is very resourceful—I trust her to find a way even if they double the guards _ .”

“ _ The security protocols dictate that anybody who is out of bounds is supposed to be shot on sight—and that’s only the standard protocol on a star destroyer. Stars know what they _ —”

“ _ This is not up for discussion. _ ”

Poe felt a shiver run down his spine. “General Organa—please listen to Hugs. He is the expert on the matter. We need to make sure that Rose gets out of there in time.”

“ _ You have your orders, _ ” said General Organa. “ _ Over and out. _ ”

Poe stared at his hands, then at the instruments in his cockpit. Kriff! He couldn’t even warn Rose! Bodkin would hear every transmission directed at Team Black. Damn it! Why—why had Bodkin betrayed them? Every fiber of his being told him to head to the Treasury to stop Bodkin, to stop Rose from being trapped.

He—he had to follow orders. Vice Admiral Holdo had been right, and his interference had ruined the plan. What if it was the same here? What if General Organa was right? He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. He wouldn’t make the same mistake again. This time he would obey.


	23. Pieces of Eight

The next minutes felt like hours. Poe’s lips felt dry and the awful feeling in the pit of his stomach only grew. 

After what felt like an eternity, the earpiece crackled to life, causing him to jerk violently back to reality. He wiped over his face.

“ _Paintbox requesting status updates from all teams_.”

“Green leader ready.”

“ _Green 2 ready_.”

“ _Green 3 ready_.”

“ _Team Red still in position_.”

“ _Team Blue en route to the vault. We had to take a detour and are running late._ ”

“ _Black leader inside. Blue fall back_ ,” whispered Rose.

“ _Black 2 standing by_ ,” said Bodkin. Poe pressed his lips together at the sound of her voice.

“ _Roger._ ”

Had they warned Rose? Certainly they had called her to tell her about the risk she was taking? It itched in his fingers to just call her, to tell her that she had to be careful. That she had to make it back safe and sound.

“ _Canvas is painted_ ,” said Rose quietly. “ _Retreat._ ”

“ _This is Paintbox to all teams—move to extraction points_.”

“Warm up the engines, BB-8,” said Poe. His voice sounded raspy.

“ _Team Blue reporting in. Something is happening—Stormtroopers are taking up positions along the hallways_.”

Poe cursed under his breath. The alarm had gone off! Damn it! And they had no way to see what was going on inside the treasury ship.

“ _This is Team Red—activating emergency holo on frequency 3493793459-b._ ” Hux sounded so damn calm and cool. How in the galaxy did he pull it off?

“ _Roger that_ ,” said Rose, slightly out of breath.

Poe quickly activated his holo and tuned into the frequency Hux had provided. The first picture was black due to interference, but then the image cleared and he saw four pictures: one was a close-up of Rose’s face, the other was right over her shoulder, and the third and fourth seemed to show where she was heading—a long white hallway with bright lights. 

“What the _—_ ” whispered Poe to himself. How had she smuggled floating holocams on board?

Kaydel Ko seemed to mirror his thoughts. “ _What is this?_ ”

“ _Quiet,_ ” said General Organa. “ _All teams proceed as planned._ ”

Poe stared at the pictures in front of him. Rose was still hurrying down the hallway. “ _Hux, talk to me—override the blast door at the next junction?_ ”

“ _Negative—proceed to junction B22. I’ll send you my command codes_.”

She managed to walk fast and still look as if she wasn’t on the run. She even passed a team of technicians running towards the vault without so much as batting an eye. Finally she stopped and peeled a panel from one of the consoles. She pulled something out of her uniform pocket and rewired two cables. Then she put the panel back and activated the console. 

“ _Nothing_ ,” she said.

“ _That was to be expected_ ,” said Hux cooly.

“ _Wait, I have an idea_.” She looked over her shoulder before she removed the panel again. She took a small pad out of her pocket and connected it with a cable and typed something very quickly. Then she typed something into the console. “ _There—it’s working_ . _Just had to slice the system to reset the time format to last year. That was some really sloppy programming on their part._ ”

“ _Impressive_ ,” said Hux. It sounded as detached as before, but Poe could picture him sitting in front of his holo screen with an awed expression on his face.

“ _Alarm deactivated for the time being_ ,” whispered Rose, barely moving her lips.

Stars, Rose really was amazing. He had known that she was a brilliant engineer and mechanic, but he had no idea that there was ice water running in her veins.

“ _Team Blue reporting—we are outside and have met up with Black 2. Proceeding to Green 2_.” Rey sounded tense.. Perhaps it was due to them having Bodkin in custody—at least that’s what he assumed.

Poe’s eyes stayed glued to the holo in front of him. It was hard to identify the hallway she was in. At the rate she was travelling though, , she had to be nearing one of the exits. One of the floating holocams travelled ahead and inspected the way ahead of Rose. 

Poe started to grin. They would make it! Rose would make it and the mission—the scouting holocam revealed a squad of Stormtroopers and two officers securing the exit to the docks. They stopped every Trooper and officer coming near them. Poe’s breath faltered. Would the fake files hold up to close inspection?

“ _There is a check-point ahead_ ,” said Hux.

“ _Recommendation?_ ” asked Rose without slowing her step.

“ _The files lack depth. They will see through it if they’re not inept. I recommend emergency holo 3_.”

“ _Agreed_.”

Poe blinked. What the—when had they set up all of this? He felt oddly proud of Hux and Rose. They were amazing!

He watched in awe as three more holocams flew up from Rose’s uniform—they had been hidden as code cylinders in her breast pocket. That’s how they had pulled it off! He hadn’t known that there were even holocams this small. The cams activated and bit by bit a large holo was projected in front of Rose. It was a tall figure with an overcoat. As it solidified, he realised that it was a lifelike holo of Hux in full uniform. How had they managed to project a picture so dense that it looked like the real thing?

The holo Hux marched confidently ahead of Rose, tugging at his black leather gloves. The officers at the check-point gaped at him.

“General Hux? Aren’t you—”

Hux clasped his hands behind his back. “Why has the internal alarm stopped?” 

Poe heard his voice over his earpiece and over the holo.

“Sir!” The officers snapped at attention. “The cause of the alarm, as well as why it ceased, is currently unknown. According to regulation we—”

Hux glanced over his shoulder. “Lieutenant, please inform high command that I’ll delay my return until this issue is solved.”

Rose clicked her heels together. “Sir!”

Hux turned his attention again on the officer. “Please continue, Captain…”

“Captain Kawer, sir!”

Rose swiftly walked away, leaving holo-Hux behind. The cameras stayed with Hux—they were probably needed to keep the illusion up. “Report, Captain Kawer.”

“Yes sir! We are scouring the ship as we speak. So far we have rounded up twenty suspicious individuals who haven’t been at their post. We shot them right away of course.”

“Of course.”

A shudder ran down Poe’s spine. His earpiece crackled to life. “ _Black leader is clear, en route to meet up with Green 3_.”

“ _This is Green 2. Team Blue is onboard. Initiating take off_.”

Poe wiped over his face. Stars! They were really doing it! He turned his attention to holo-Hux who was still listening to the captain droning on about procedures. Suddenly he broke off and squinted. 

“Sir—what—”

Poe saw that Hux’s figure was starting to fade. “Goodbye, Captain Kawer,” said Hux before the live feed cut off.

“ _Black leader—be advised that the distraction has run its course_ ,” said Kaydel Ko.

“ _Roger—I’m boarding Green 3 as we speak_.”

Poe started his engines, waiting for the command to depart. Moments later he got the order and took off. He jumped to hyper speed as soon as it was safe and performed several jumps to shake off possible tracking programmes.

***

When he finally arrived at the base, he literally jumped out of his cockpit and ran towards Jess’s ship. Rose was standing in front of it, having already discarded her uniform jacket for a brown vest.

Poe grabbed her and pulled her into a bear hug, lifting her off the ground. “Rose! You are a genius! I’m so glad that you’re okay!”

“I won’t be if you smother me,” she pressed out.

He let her down and hugged her again. “You made it!”

She returned the hug. “ _We_ made it!”

They let go of each other when Poe saw the _Millenium Falcon_ land a couple of meters away. He quickly jogged over and waited until the ramp was down before he charged inside. Finn was already running towards him, still wearing the FO uniform, but it was already unbuttoned.

“Poe!”

“Finn!”

“Poe!”

He embraced him with all his might and Finn squeezed right back. Rey, Rose, and Jess joined them and the hugs and celebrations continued.

In the middle of the happy chaos Chewie exited the ship, escorting a bound Bodkin down the ramp. Though there were tears in her eyes, she still retained some of her trademark cockiness. 

“Bodkin…” began Poe, but he didn’t know how to continue. He had been angry at her, but seeing her now made it trickle away.

“Save it,” she snapped. “I don’t know what you expected—you knew that I was a thief.”

Poe smiled sadly at her. “I believed in you.”

She gulped and sniffled. “Well, that’s on you then!” Her voice sounded throaty.

“General Organa asked to see her,” said Chewie, gently pushing her forward so that she started walking.

“Stop!” said Poe. “I—that’s not enough!”

Bodkin grimaced. “Not enough?”

“No! Damn it, Bodkin—you put Rose in danger because you wanted to get _rich_!”

Bodkin took a few steps until her face was but centimeters away from Poe’s. “I’d rather get hanged than keep living in the dirt! This was my ticket to freedom, you moron!” A tear ran down her cheek. “And I’m not sorry!” She sniffed.

“Was this your plan all along?” asked Poe. “Was it all a lie?”

She scoffed, blinking the tears away. “Of course not, you stupid oaf! I rooted for you! You and that redhead of yours! But destroying all that money? No way—Old Ash was the only one I knew who would grasp the possibilities. I hate her guts, but still contacted her! Because it’s not about you or the Resistance—it’s about _me_!”

Poe stared at her in disappointment and disbelief. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “I guess I have my answer.” Chewie prodded Bodkin again and they left. All this time they had focused and fretted over Hux—all his own thoughts had been absorbed by that complicated man… so much that he hadn’t seen what was right in front of his eyes. Bodkin had been candid from the start—she was a thief. Kriff!

The sound of thrusters made him look up. He couldn’t help but grin when he saw Team Red’s ship approach.

It landed right next to the _Falcon_ and Rey and the others gathered round, still congratulating and hugging each other. The ramp lowered and Hux exited the ship, looking surprised at the people gathered in front of him. 

Poe charged ahead, grabbing him by the lapels of his greatcoat. He pulled Hux close and planted a big fat kiss on his surprised lips. The kiss turned into an embrace and Poe whispered in his ear. “You are brilliant!” Poe didn’t care that the others saw him. How could he not be in love with this wonderful, beautiful, smart man?

Hux had a blush on his cheeks and cautiously looked at the people staring at them. “I—it was Sergeant Tico who—”

“Hux!” Rose came forward and gave him a hard smack on his upper arm. “Did you see how the hololenses focused to break the light in that 0.32 frequency we talked about?”

He blushed even deeper and rubbed his arm. “You calibrated the emitters, didn’t you?”

Rose waved him off. “Of course I did! You know me!”

Finn and Rey approached them and gave Hux handshakes. 

“Told you that that sneer of yours would get us far,” said Finn.

Rey smiled at him, causing Hux to straighten and stand at parade rest. He looked uncomfortable. “Master Rey, I—”

“When did Rose and you come up with this?” she asked.

Poe’s eyes went wide. “Wait, you didn’t know about this? I thought it was part of the plan?”

Rose suddenly looked bashful. “Well, you know this was just a little side project we worked on while we had time between the repairs.”

Rey gaped at her. “Wait—what? General Organa didn’t know?!”

“We weren’t sure if it would work,” said Rose, “but we thought it couldn’t hurt to have one or two aces up our sleeve in case something went wrong.”

“Stars!” Rey wiped over her face. “Let’s head to the command tent—I think we need to do a proper debrief.”

***

General Organa looked as calm and serene as always, despite the huge victory they had just claimed. “Welcome back,” she said with a warm smile.

Poe, Finn and Hux saluted. “General, it’s good to be back,” Poe said.

Rose joined them seconds later, holding a mug of caf in her right hand. “Sorry, I had to get something first.”

Hux frowned at her and she just stuck her tongue out. Poe couldn’t help but laugh.

Leia chuckled warmly. “Now that we’re all here, I wanted to congratulate you on this incredible mission.” She looked each and every one of them straight in the eye. “Thank you all. And I want to thank Rose for the incredible courage and bravery she showed.”

Rose beamed. “Aww, it’s nothing. I couldn’t have done it without you all.”

General Organa nodded. “It’s a team effort, of course.”

Kaydel Ko entered the tent. “I secured Bodkin in the cargo hold of the _Spark_ and posted guards.”

“What about the surviving pirates?” asked Poe. “Did they get away?”

“They did at first, but we intercepted First Order chatter that they had been shot down before they could leave the system.”

Poe exhaled. “I almost feel sorry for them.”

Kaydel Ko huffed. “Why would you? They put the mission at risk.”

“Because imagine how desperate they had to be to mess with the First Order and us at the same time. Captain Aashum'crebuy was an old hand. She must have known that it was a high risk operation.”

“More like greedy,” shot Kaydel Ko back.

“Bodkin was only—”

General Organa lifted her hand. “Miss Bodkin will have to face imprisonment for her deeds. But first we will hold a proper debriefing.”

Poe gave her a curt nod. “Of course, General. I apologize.”

***

As it turned out, Team Blue had to rely on Rey’s Force persuasion to get on board. Rose, on the other hand, had no problem sneaking on board and donning a First Order uniform before heading into the vault.

“A flawless mission up to the point where Team Green discovered the pirates—exceptional work, Commander Dameron.”

Poe felt his chest swell with pride. “Thank you, General.”

“As for your emergency plans… why wasn’t I informed?” There was an edge to her voice.

Rose lifted her chin before putting her already empty caf mug on the table. “It was part of our initial plan. Well—a variation of it, of course. We thought it was too risky to actually include it in the operation.”

“You thought I would forbid it, didn’t you?”

Rose stared General Organa straight in the eye. “Yes.”

Kaydel Ko scoffed. “It was not your call! General Organa—”

“It was my life that was on the line, and I trust Hux. And yes, I knew that you wouldn’t approve of this gambit.”

There was a moment of silence before General Organa spoke again. “I can’t lead you if you are keeping things from me.”

Rose averted her gaze. “I know, and I assure you that it won’t happen again.”

Leia sighed. “I admit that I’m quite frankly surprised at the amount of trust you have gained in the Resistance, General Hux.”

Hux frowned. “I wouldn’t call it trust, General. I assume it’s something borne out of exceptional circumstances.”

“Nah, I trust you,” said Rose, crossing her arms.

“So do I,” said Poe quickly, grinning at Hux. 

Finn shrugged. “Well, he did get Rose out of there, so I guess I trust him too.”

“Me too,” added Rey.

“Ah,” said Hux, looking confused.

Leia leaned on her cane. “I think it’s time for tea. General Hux, Commander Dameron—will you join me?”

Both nodded. 

Kaydel Ko bowed slightly. “I’ll go order the tea, General.” She turned on her heel and left, clearly displeased with the outcome.

Finn and Rey patted Poe on his back and left together with Chewie and Rose. General Organa gestured for them to sit down. 

“Thank you for the invitation, General,” said Hux stiffly.

“Yeah, I appreciate it,” chimed in Poe.

She leaned back in her chair, looking tired and less energetic than before. She noticed Poe’s worried gaze. “I’m an old warhorse, Commander. I will be fine.”

“Of course.”

She shifted a little in her chair. “Of course, I’m not as spritely as I used to be.”

Kaydel Ko appeared with three mugs and three tea eggs. Hux perked up as he noticed that there were no tea bags.

“Are you fond of tea, General Hux?” asked Leia.

He sat up straighter. “I am.”

“So am I. Nothing compares to a good herbal tea, does it?”

Poe could almost hear the gears grinding in his head. “I prefer Tarine tea or black tea,” he said slowly. He was on his guard.

“Let’s cut to the important questions, shall we?” she said, dropping her tea egg into the hot water of the mug.

“By all means,” replied Hux.

“What is your objective?”

Hux took a moment to contemplate the question. “I want to be free.”

“In what way?” 

“Free to be who I want to be,” Hux replied, again halting as if he was thinking and speaking at the same time. “But, of course, I’m aware that it won’t be possible.”

She added honey to her tea. “Care to elaborate?”

Hux leaned back in his chair. “You know why. Because nobody can just erase the past. I’m guilty of many crimes and I can’t expect to go unpunished.”

“Let’s assume that we win the war and the Order would be destroyed with your help. Where would you go?”

Hux glanced at Poe, the tips of his ears turning pink. “I don’t understand the question.”

“I think you do.”

Hux shifted in his seat. “Very well, if you insist: I will follow Commander Dameron’s lead and hope to be of assistance to him and his mission.”

Poe’s breath faltered. Hux had just said that he wanted to stay with him. As if on cue, Hux glanced at him, waiting for him to say something. He should just say it—tell him that he wanted him by his side. Poe licked his lips and blinked, looking at General Organa who was still smiling at them.

She drew breath to say something, and Hux averted his gaze. He looked smaller than before—the very sight made Poe’s chest ache. No—he wouldn’t let him feel alone ever again! He sat up straighter and grabbed his hand. He gave him his most brilliant smile. “He is just being modest—truth is, I want to introduce him to my parents as soon as possible. Then we will have an absolutely _dazzling_ engagement party, followed by an even grander wedding. After the war, we will work at the finest Corellian shipyard—he is going to design ships and I’m going to be his test pilot.”

Hux gaped at him, as did General Organa.

“You see, we have it all figured out, General,” continued Poe, patting Hux’s hand. “Except for the location of our wedding. I’m thinking Makeb—what about you, Armitage?”

Hux blinked and a smile played on his lips. “What makes you think I would lower myself into an engagement with a lowly Commander?”

“Oh, you’re getting so much more than just a ‘lowly Commander’—not only am I the best pilot the galaxy has ever seen, I feel like I’m also an amazing shot, a great cook, and to top it all off, a handsome, lovable rogue.”

“Commander Dameron,” sighed Leia, “please… this is a serious discussion.”

“What makes you think I don’t mean every word of it?” said Poe cheerfully.

She took a sip of her tea. “I envy you, you know. So full of hope and love.”

Poe clocked the tired tone in her voice. “You are the spark of hope and love that inspires us all, General Organa.”

Her eyes seemed to grow moist, but Poe wasn’t sure if the light was playing a trick on his eyes. 

“And yet it seems that I’m no longer needed. I’m afraid I have grown old and weary,” she said. “Young Rey had led you well in my absence.”

“Of course you’re needed,” said Poe. “But you don’t have to do everything on your own. Let Rey help you—she is your successor, isn’t she?”

Leia chuckled. “You really have a silver tongue, Poe. I agree and I apologize for the poor choice of my words.” She stirred her tea. “It’s the prerogative of old women to lament the passing of time. I’m tired, if you will excuse me.”

“Of course, General,” said Hux smoothly and rose from his seat. He grabbed his mug of tea and bowed before heading out. 

Poe slowly got up and lingered. “Are you alright?”

She smiled sadly at him. “He is very lucky to have you, to have your love. Maybe that’s what saved him.”

“Rey said that people can only save themselves,” said Poe quietly. “It was his choice.” 

She inhaled. “I tried to contact him.”

“Ren?” Poe sat down again. “When you were unconscious?”

She nodded. “I felt his presence, and with little doubt, he felt mine. We kept dancing around each other, trying to pry into each other's minds.”

“Did it work?”

“I don’t know. I waited for him. I hoped he would look for me, that my love would be enough for him to… I reached out, but the only connection I made was with somebody else reaching out for me.” She smiled sadly. “Rey extended her hand—so did you when you visited me. I felt you. Your force signature is so much like Han’s… and I realised that family isn’t built on blood alone.”

“I didn’t know that you would sense me.”

“Of course I did, Poe. And it made me realise that I had to choose between Ben and my other family. So I came back. Because love isn’t supposed to be one-sided.”

Poe gulped. “It’s a hard lesson to learn, isn’t it?”

“And a very painful one too.” She leaned back in her chair. “You shouldn’t let him wait. If I have learned something in my life, it’s this: love is too precious to let it wait. Stars know that I missed so much because I was too proud, too sure of myself to listen to my heart.” He blinked. “Could you send for Rey?”

“Of course, General.” He saluted and left.

***

He found Hux sitting at his usual spot at the edge of the forest. The tea egg was laying next to him and he was taking a sip. 

“There you are—we need to make the necessary arrangements for our engagement party!” Poe bent down and gave him a kiss.

Hux smiled. “Have I ever told you that you’re impossible?”

“Maybe.”

Hux gave him another kiss. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For saving me the embarrassment of having to explain myself to General Organa. For being here with me.” 

Poe sat down next to him. “Some would argue that being with me is an embarrassment on its own.”

“Can’t be worse than having to admit in front of a galactic legend that you hooked up with me.” 

“Said the most brilliant and _handsome_ man in the camp to the local rapscallion,” chuckled Poe.

Hux was about to take a sip from his tea and choked on it, coughing. 

“What?” laughed Poe. “It’s true, isn’t it? You are beautiful.”

Hux put his mug down and wiped over his mouth. He shifted his weight a little, appearing uncomfortable.

Poe picked up his mug and took a gulp, grimacing at the bitter taste. “Stars! How can you drink that?” Then he looked Hux straight in the eye. “And you know I’m right. You are beautiful, and you’re a genius.”

The tips of Hux’s ears became a reddish colour. “Please don’t say it in public. I—”

“I’ll say it as many times as necessary until you stop being so self-conscious!” Poe leaned closer to Hux and whispered in his ear. “You’re beautiful, you uptight dork. Beautiful!”

A very quiet moan escaped Hux. The sound took Poe completely by surprise, and he gaped at him. Then he cast his gaze downwards and saw a tent in Hux’s jodhpurs. 

Hux blushed even harder. “I—I can’t help it. I’m sorry.”

Poe felt a prick of lust at the sight. He leaned closer. “You are beautiful, Armitage.”

Hux bit his lower lip—his cock was now positively straining against his pants. Poe’s breath started to quicken. Stars, this opened up all kinds of different and new possibilities! They could certainly disappear for a few moments before the victory party! Back in the cargo hold he could—suddenly he remembered the day at the beach. 

‘We don’t have to hide in the shadows,’ he had told Hux back then. But that’s exactly what he had done once they were back with the Resistance. He wouldn’t hide again. “Let’s go for a walk in the forest.”

Hux blinked. “Huh?”

“Come on, it’s been a while since we last saw each other in broad daylight,” said Poe with a suggestive grin. He jumped to his feet and helped Hux up, who was huffing a little and trying to hide his stiff cock.

He took Hux’s hand and led him a bit deeper into the woods. After a few meters he stopped and turned around to kiss Hux passionately. Hux eagerly returned the kisses, grabbing Poe and pressing him against a tree.

When they broke the kiss, they were both panting. Poe could feel the heat pooling in stomach. He looked down and saw that Hux was even more excited than before. He gave him a lop-sided grin and started to caress his hips. 

Several rays of sunshine broke through the coppice, bathing parts of the forest in a warm light. One of them fell on Hux, highlighting his copper hair and porcelain skin. “You really are beautiful.”

Hux bit his kissable, soft lips. “Stars! Just hearing you say that…”

Poe knelt down and ran his hands carefully over Hux’s hips. He cupped his ass next, and trailed his inner thighs for good measure. “You look like you could burst out of these pants.” He reached up and opened the button of his jodhpurs. 

“It’s tight,” whispered Hux. “Pull them down.”

“Not yet.” Poe’s hands found their way back to his thighs and hips. “Patience, _beautiful_.” He was thrilled seeing Hux shiver under his touch.

Soon he would see it again. Taste it again. It was exciting, doing it so close to camp. If they were as loud as on Rishi, somebody would certainly hear. They might come and see for themselves just how proud and magnificent Hux really is. Big, full and exquisite. His breath became ragged. Stars, he couldn’t wait any longer. He opened his uniform jacket and his shirt.

With slightly trembling hands he started to massage Hux’s stomach, paying special attention to the trail of hairs he loved so much. Then he quickly reached for the zipper and pulled it down. Hux breathed a sigh of relief when he was freed from the confines of his pants. Poe leaned forward and kissed his dick through the fabric of his boxers, drawing another low moan from Hux.

Finally he pulled the pants and the boxers fully down. Hux’s dick was already leaking pre-cum when Poe finally grabbed it and started to suck. 

“I—I’m beautiful,” whispered Hux, grabbing Poe’s hair and starting to thrust into his mouth. “I’m smart and I have a proud prick, a b-beautiful proud prick.”

Poe’s own moan was muffled. Stars, it was so hot hearing Hux say the words. So damn hot! He increased his speed. His own cock felt full and heavy, so he palmed himself to provide relief. Under his eager ministrations Hux began to pant—it was music to Poe’s ears.

“I’m beautiful,” Hux whispered, “and l—I’m loved.” With a low grunt he came into Poe’s awaiting mouth. Poe continued licking and sucking the salty, hot cum until Hux was completely spent.

As always, Hux was left completely flustered and in awe of what had just transpired. He always gave Poe this look that conveyed that he hadn’t expected him to caress him like he had done now countless times. “Stars!”

Poe wiped over his mouth and grinned at him. “You came fast. It seems you are warming to the idea of these outdoor trysts of ours. I approve.”

“It’s your fault for being so damn irresistible,” said Hux, still short of breath. 

Poe got up and made a show of discarding his shirt. He knew that Hux liked his defined muscles. “You think?”

Hux let his gaze wander over his body. “You like being a tease, don’t you?” He took a quick step forward and put his hand on Poe’s crotch. “Perhaps I should try that too?” He started to massage him, making Poe shudder with lust.

“You sure that you’re up to the task?” he asked with the smuggest grin he could muster.

“Take off your clothes and go down on your knees,” said Hux, crooking an eyebrow, quickening Poe’s heartbeat further. It seemed that Hux had picked up some of his weaknesses as well. “Eyes front.”

Eagerly Poe fumbled his pants open and got rid of his boots and the rest of his clothes before kneeling. The air was cool and felt amazing against his hot flesh. He was curious what Hux would come up with—whatever it was, it would certainly be sexy as hell.

Hux stepped behind him and pushed his shoulders down. Poe went down on all fours. The forest floor was covered in moss and small plants, making it softer than Poe had anticipated. He couldn’t see, but he heard clothes rustling. Hux was kneeling down too.

Hands started to caress his back muscles, massaging him tenderly. “What a sight you are,” said Hux in that maddening Imperial accent of his. Stars—Poe wanted to see him so badly, but he kept looking straight ahead into the seemingly endless forest.

The warm, soft hands wandered downwards, massaging his lower back and then halting briefly on his backside. Hux cupped his ass reverently. “You take care of yourself. I appreciate your regimen.” He then gave his asscheeks a firm squeeze.

It felt amazing—his hands were maddeningly close to his aching cock and heavy balls. So close, yet still so far away. Poe imagined what Hux must look like kneading his round, firm ass with his long fingers. A hiss of lust escaped him.

His asscheeks were spread apart and Poe widened his stance instantly. He braced for a finger on his tight hole, when something soft, wet, and warm lapped at it instead. He twitched and groaned loudly in response, covering his mouth with his right hand. Stars! What if somebody heard him?

The tongue continued to caress his hole. It was much softer than he was used to, and he loved it. The thought of the prim and proper General Hux giving him a rim job was almost enough to make him cum. He wanted to see so badly! He—

In this moment the tongue breached his tight ring of muscles and Poe grunted and moaned into his hand, muffling his sounds of pleasure. A lustful haze of minutes passed before Hux halted his ministrations. His hole was now very wet and he could feel the cool forest air brushing against it. Poe glanced over his shoulder. Hux smirked at him, shaking his head.

Stars! Poe jerked his head around again and huffed. “I want to see.”

“Alright, but then you will have to do the work yourself.”

Poe immediately turned his head again. He had no idea what Hux meant, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was seeing him! Hux licked two of his fingers until they were slick. Poe’s breath hitched.

Hux pressed both fingers against Poe’s asshole. Poe gasped in surprise when they slipped in easily. Hux pressed his fingers in as far as they would go, filling Poe nicely. He moaned again before slapping his hand back over his mouth.

“Almost there,” whispered Hux. He reached around and took Poe’s cock in a firm grip. “Everything is in place. You wanted to do the work yourself, remember?”

Poe whined and wiggled his ass. He felt so full and ready to come. He thrusted his hips forward into Hux’s hand. When he pulled back Hux’s unmoving fingers brushed against his sweet spot. Poe was desperate now and started to pound into Hux’s fist while trying to keep quiet. In moments he was completely lost in the sensations. He was wildly rutting himself to climax, not caring about his loud moans until he spurted his cum all over the forest floor.

He sagged to the ground, the moss and the small plants brushing against his naked skin. Dimly he registered that Hux had let go of him.

After a few moments he managed to sit up. Hux quietly handed him his clothes.

Poe wiped the sweat off his face. He felt sore and very, very satisfied. “I stand corrected—you _are_ a tease.”

Hux clicked his tongue. “You gave yourself quite a ride, so perhaps you're still the better tease.”

Poe blushed. He must have looked undignified, pounding himself on the dirty forest floor for all to hear. Stars, he didn’t know when he had last blushed! “Uh, was I loud?” He started to dress.

Hux chuckled. “Don’t worry, I don’t think anybody heard you.”

Poe felt more heat crawl up his cheeks. He wasn’t entirely sure if Hux was being candid. On the other hand, it was exciting, just like back on Rishi. If anybody had heard it would be… interesting.

Once dressed, they sat quietly next to each other. The forest was quiet save for a few birds singing in the distance. It was peaceful. Poe took Hux’s hand. It was nice, sitting here together in companionable silence.

Hux licked his lips. “I liked your plans. The ones about Corellia, I mean.”

“And here I thought you liked the prospect of a party with glitter and a lot of colourful balloons!”

He sighed. “First we have to survive this war.”

“You didn’t say no.”

“What?” Hux’s eyes went wide. “Y—You were joking, weren’t you?”

“I’m always serious when I’m joking.” He lifted Hux’s hand and kissed it. “You didn’t say that you wouldn’t marry me. That’s a yes in my book.” 

Hux chuckled, leaned over and kissed him. “You’re impossible.”

“You also didn’t say no to a dazzling engagement party. You know what they say:   
‘Let us not burden our remembrances with   
A heaviness that’s gone.’”

Hux stared at him in surprise, and then chuckled. “You read up on the poem.  
O brave new world,   
That has such people in ’t!”


	24. Hauling in the Sails

A couple of months later, Poe went to the ‘nerd tent’ to look for Hux. Rose sat at her workbench, scanning an old astromech droid. She looked tired and her eyes were red.

“Hey Rose!”

She quickly wiped over her eyes. “Oh, hey Poe. Hux isn’t here. It’s just me and AB-3.”

“What’s up? Have you run out of caf?” He sat down next to her and craned his neck to peek at the contents of her ever present mug. It was an insulated, dark mug that Hux had bought her a few weeks ago. He had told Poe that he had accidentally ordered two mugs from the vendor, but Poe knew that it was really a gift. Hux was not as smooth as he liked to think he was.

She gulped the rest of the caf down, sniffling and laughing at the same time. “Yeah, that’s it.”

“Do you want me to get more caf?” asked Poe in a quiet voice.

She blinked and sniffled once again. “No, it’s alright. I think I’ve had enough.”

Stars, she really wasn’t doing well. “Okay.”

Rose exhaled. “I don’t know what’s up with me. The First Order is on the verge of collapse, the Hutt cartels are very unhappy with them. And still… it doesn't feel like we have won. It doesn’t feel like  _ I _ have won.”

“You did win. After all, it was you and Armitage who built the blocking signal for the hyperspace tracker.” He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it a bit. 

She pulled the silver medallion out of her neckline and looked at it. “It took too long.” She closed her hand, holding the medallion in her fist. “I miss her.”

“I’m sorry—”

She put her hand on his. “It wasn’t your fault—I didn’t want to make you feel guilty. Sometimes it just gets to me, you know?”

Poe gulped. She looked miserable. “You know what? I plan to cook for Armitage tonight. Why don’t you join us?”

She wiped over her eyes. “I don’t want to spoil your romantic evening.”

“Nah, I tend to cook too much anyway—it’s great if we have somebody who helps us finish all that food.”

She smiled sadly. “Thanks. It’s supposed to get easier with time, but I’ve found that not to be true. Turns out that burying oneself in work isn’t the best coping mechanism.”

“Yeah, well. I have yet to meet somebody whose coping mechanism isn’t shit.”

She chuckled. “True. Speaking of coping… have you noticed how bashful Finn acts lately?”

Poe blinked. “Bashful?”

“Yeah, I think he has finally hooked up with Rey.”

Poe threw his hands up in the air. “Finally! Watching those two prancing around each other was unbearable!”

Rose laughed. “I mean, I get that a Jedi isn’t supposed to fall in love, but come on…”

“Finn was quite the desirable bachelor, huh?” said Poe, only half-joking.

Rose cleared her throat and pressed her lips together. “I was such a moron.”

“So was I.”

“I kissed him,” Rose buried her face in her hands. “Stars!”

“So what? I groped him in a weak moment.” The memory brought a blush to his cheeks.

Rose stared at him. “You didn’t!”

Poe shrugged. “I was drunk, and misread some signals, okay? Of course I apologized for days and didn’t dare to even look at him. So don’t you worry—you’re not yet as bad as I am.”

“That actually makes me feel better.”

“So, how about dinner?”

“Am I allowed to talk about work with Hux?” She asked with a suspicious gleam in her eyes.

“No!”

She smiled. “Come on, just a little. It won’t be like last time.”

“I know you two! Conversation starts out innocently enough, and then suddenly it turns into a two hour discussion about some stupid programme you want to write, and I’m bored out of my mind.”

Her smile faded a bit. “You know what’s odd? That working with Hux calms me down. I mean… from the start we just got along and—” she exhaled. “I’m supposed to hate him, but I can’t. I actually like him.”

“Well, I think he considers you his friend. But don’t tell him that I said that—he’ll go all huffy and drone on about mutual professional respect.”

“Mutual professional respect, eh? Is that why he gave me the mug?”

“Yeah, you know him.”

“Uh-huh.”

***

After dinner, Rose stayed for a bit and they talked about the latest swoop race. When she had departed for the night, Hux started to clean the table of their tent, putting the plates into the small cleaning droid he had recently updated.

Poe cleared his throat. “So, I talked to my parents—they’re happy about our upcoming visit.”

Hux crooked a skeptical eyebrow. “Really? I thought your mother threatened to disown you.”

“Aw, don’t worry about that. She is all fire and fury until my father calms her down.”

“Has he hid her blasters?”

Poe smiled. “Of course—he even hid her hunting daggers.”

Hux smiled sadly. “We don’t have to do this, you know. If they don’t approve of me—”

“Then they don’t. This is not about them—it’s about us. And I want to do this properly.”

“There is nothing proper about us, Poe,” sighed Hux.

“This again?” 

“I don’t know why you keep proposing to me.”

“I just want that dazzling engagement party I promised General Organa.”

Hux smiled and handed Poe a caf and a small piece of cake for dessert. “Honestly, it’s an outdated ritual. Why do you care so much?”

Poe used the fork to cut the cake into small pieces. “I’m possessive and I want to show the galaxy that we’re together.” He pronged a small piece with the fork and gave it Hux.

He took the fork and ate the offered cake. “Please just tell me the real reason.” He handed the fork back and Poe ate the next bite.

“Hm,” said Poe with a full mouth. “Truth be told, I don’t know why I like the idea so much. On Yavin it’s still a big thing, and perhaps I’m more rooted in that culture than I thought. Or perhaps this is just a single big ‘kriff you’ to your old man.”

Hux laughed. “I see—that’s a good reason to actually do it.”

***

Two weeks later they sat on the porch overlooking the Dameron garden. In the distance, Poe could see the majestic lemon tree. Hux was sitting stiffly next to Poe, while Shara stared at him from across the table.

“May I offer you a glass of lemonade, Armitage?” asked Kes.

“Yes please.”

Poe cleared his throat. “So, Mom… how is the game? Have you shot any deer lately?”

Shara pulled the edge of her mouth down. “Of course I have. It’s only a question of  _ patience _ .”

Stars, why did she have to be so on edge? “Come on, I’ve shot my share of deer. There is no need to be so serious about it.” He turned his attention to his father. “Thanks for the dinner, Dad. You have to give me the recipe for the blackroot casserole. It was delicious.”

“Of course. I bought this new cookbook a couple of months ago. You can have my copy if you want. I can order a new one for myself.” Kes looked relaxed—he had become even calmer since the last time Poe had seen him. He had also gained a little weight. He noticed Poe’s gaze and patted his belly. “I recently had to change to a low-calorie diet, you know.”

“Come on, Dad,” chuckled Poe. “You look fine.”

“Ah, stop it! Do you cook now too? I don’t recall you ever being interested in it before.”

Poe casually put his hand on Hux’s leg. “Somebody has to, and I—”

“Don’t you cook, Armitage?” interjected Shara.

Hux straightened his back. “I do, but I’m less proficient than Poe. But I like to bake every now and then.”

Kes nodded approvingly. “Excellent. Baking is an artform unto itself, don’t you think?”

Hux’s gaze softened. “It is. It’s about being precise and at the same time one can experiment with the mix-ratio—”

“If you would excuse me,” snapped Shara, rising to her feet. “I need to prepare the food for tomorrow.” She pushed her chair back and disappeared into the small house.

Kes sighed. “I apologize for her.”

Poe exhaled. “Don’t worry.”

Beside him, Hux pressed his lips together and stared at the glass of lemonade in his hands. “I understand that she isn’t thrilled to have me as a guest.”

“Nonsense! We’re happy to finally meet you. Poe has told me so much about you, Armitage.” Kes glanced from Poe to Hux. “Come on, there is something I want to show you two.”

He led them to a small greenhouse behind the orchard. Hux looked around at the lush garden, admiring the apple and the braim trees. “You must be an exceptional gardener, Kes.”

“Yeah, well I used to be. Nowadays I pay the neighbor boys to take care of the orchards. It’s simply too much and my joints aren’t what they used to be.” He opened the door to the greenhouse and gestured for them to step inside.

“Stars, it looks just like I remember it,” said Poe. He took a deep breath, taking in the scent of soil, herbs and tomatoes. 

Kes chuckled. “Well, there isn’t much change here. It used to drive you insane.”

“I think I'm starting to see the appeal,” said Poe. In truth, he had caught himself thinking of settling somewhere with Hux more often than he used to. Stars, he really was starting to get old.

“Don’t worry, it’s only natural,” said Kes, stopping in front of a small pot with a tiny plant in it. “You’re not getting old and boring like your dad. Don’t worry.”

“Huh, how did you know what I was thinking?”

“You are my son—of course I know what is going on in that head of yours.” He took the small pot and handed it to Poe. “That’s why I prepared this.”

Poe frowned and squinted at the plant. “What’s this?”

“It’s a seedling from our lemon tree, son.” Kes patted Poe’s shoulder. “From what you told me about Armitage, I thought you might settle down eventually. You will need a lemon tree of your own now.”

Poe blinked and started to grin from ear to ear. “Thank you—that’s a wonderful thought.”

Hux blinked. “Settle down?”

Kes pulled a very surprised Hux into a bear hug. “Welcome to the family, Armitage.”

Hux was stiff at first, but then he haltingly returned the hug. The hard look on his face softened and he relaxed.

Kes let go of Hux and patted him awkwardly on his back. “I’m so proud of the both of you.” He sniffled a little. “Alright, enough of this sentimental stuff. I’ll head back to the house. You guys can have a look around in the garden, if you like.”

Hux smiled at Kes—it was warm and open. “Thank you.”

Kes cleared his throat. “You can take the seedling with you and plant it wherever you like.” He gave his son a happy smile, sniffled again, and left.

Hux bent down and set his sights on the pot in Poe’s hands. “It’s quite small.”

Poe laughed and put the plant down. “Well, it would be quite hard to fit it onto our shuttle if it were bigger.” He went to Hux and wrapped his arms around his neck. “Aren’t you glad that you came?”

Hux gave him a peck. “You are here, love. That’s all that matters.”

“Come on, I want to give you the grand tour!”

They wandered through the orchard until they reached the lemon tree at the back of the estate. It was on a small hill overlooking the garden. The sun was shining and flutter plumes and bees were flying through the air.

“It’s beautiful,” said Hux, stepping to the lemon tree and putting his hand on it’s bark. “So this is the famed lemon tree?”

“It is.” Poe joined him and checked the fruits. “They are not ripe yet.”

“Is gifting a lemon tree a Yavinese tradition?” Hux was running his hand over the bark—as always, he looked ravishing in the sunlight. He looked so soft and warm despite his sharp cheekbones and his tailored, elegant shirt. Poe was so happy seeing him here with the very lemon tree he had spent so many days and nights under, dreaming about becoming a pilot.

Poe reached into his pocket and felt for the small box inside. “No, it’s not. It’s just a gesture from my father.”

Hux chewed on his lower lip. “It’s a pity that your mother doesn’t like me.”

“I told you: this is not about her. It’s about doing this properly.” His hands were getting sweaty. Why was he nervous? It had to be the atmosphere, the smell of the lemon tree, the light...

Hux turned to face Poe, leaning against the tree. “Well, what’s the next step then?” He smirked. “A ball? Or is that too ‘improper’? Are we supposed to meet under the guardianship of a chaperone?”

“As much as I like to draw things out…”

Hux snorted. “You are the most impatient man I know. That’s what I love about you.”

“Whaaaaat… I thought you loved my restraint and my pious attitude!” said Poe with mock outrage. He tiptoed and gave him a kiss. This was it, he would just do it. Slowly he went down on one knee and pulled the small box out of his pocket.

Hux shifted his weight. “What are you up to?” he asked in a hoarse voice. “Why—Why are you kneeling?”

“Because I want to do this properly,” Poe said in a solem, quiet voice. “You deserve being asked properly.”

Hux smiled and blushed a little. “You are being silly.”

Poe popped the box open and showed Hux the cockring laying in the velvet-fitted jewellery case. “Will you fuck me, Armitage?”

Hux’s eyes went wide, then he started to laugh. “You are impossible!”

Poe started to grin. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes.”

***

Later that night they were comfortably situated in bed. Both were naked, caressing each other with featherlight kisses and touches. Hux ran his hand through Poe’s curls and gave his pecs each a kiss. “I love your body… you are so handsome.”

Poe chuckled. “Good to know that my training pays off.”

“I’m glad that we’re here,” said Hux quietly. “It’s nice.”

Poe felt warmth spread out in his chest and he felt secure and happy. “I know that you don’t appreciate these ‘outdated rituals,’ but I still wanted to woo you. Because I love you so much.”

Hux brushed the curls out of Poe’s face. “I love you too.” He traced Poe’s eyebrows. “Yes.”

Poe enjoyed his ministrations. He relished the feeling as Hux tenderly brushed over his cheeks and his eyes, kissing him every now and then. “‘Yes’ what?”

“I will marry you.”

Poe felt how his heartbeat quickened. He reached up and cupped Hux’s cheek with his right hand, brushing over his cheekbone. “You will?”

“Of course I will—I want to grow old with you. And because I want you to shut up about it… you insufferable romantic.” Hux kissed him again. This time it was a very tender, lingering kiss.

Poe laughed silently and propped himself up, hovering over Hux. He leaned down and kissed him on his collarbone. “I told you over and over again… I’m very tenacious. Looks like it paid off.”

“More like stubborn.”

“I want to grow old with you too.” He put his head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. “Hugs?”

“Yes?”

“Can I have my dazzling engagement party?”

“You can have anything you want, my love.”

***

Poe saw the house before he even landed and he couldn’t help but smile. He loved coming home from his test flights, knowing that soon he could embrace his husband. BB-8 beeped.

“We’re home, buddy,” said Poe as he touched down. BB-8 and he exited the ship and made their way towards the house. Poe stopped shortly to admire the young lemon tree that was about to carry its first harvest soon.

He found Rose and Hux in the living room. As usual, they were surrounded by pads, chips, and something that looked like a servo-motor. Luckily Hux had the good sense to put a blanket under the dirty piece of equipment.

“Hey!” he said and slipped out of his brown leather jacket. It had more patches than leather left, but he loved it dearly and would never part from it. 

Rose jerked her head up and blinked. “Poe? I thought you wouldn’t be home until—oh… how late is it?”

Poe joined them and sat down on the couch, giving Hux a kiss. “It’s 19:02. Don’t tell me that you forgot the time again.”

Hux smiled and put his arm around Poe. “Of course we didn’t, right, Rose?”

“What he said.”

“Why are you here and not in the lab?”

Rose brushed absentmindedly over her big pregnant belly. “Duh, because I’m due next week and sitting on a couch is more comfortable than some hard chair.”

Poe laughed. “How about dinner? I can whip something up.”

“Thank you—you know that I love your dishes, but Kin is picking me up in… uh, two minutes ago.”

As if on cue, BB-8 rolled in, beeping. “ Kin = outside .” Hux helped Rose up and together they went to the door and watched her get into Kin’s shuttle. With a jump start they took off, engines roaring.

“She did it again, didn’t she?” asked Poe as the shuttle disappeared into the evening sky.

“Overclocking the thrusters? Of course she did. She claimed that she would fall asleep if she had to wait for them to warm up.” Hux shrugged. “I told her to take it easy, but she gave me the evil eye, and so we just worked like we always do.”

They returned into the house and Poe went into the kitchen to see about dinner. Luckily they had some leftovers that could be easily warmed up. He activated the kitchen droid and started to put plates on the table. “Did you make any headway with the blueprints?”

Hux placed the glasses on the table. “Yes, of course. Actually we finished that yesterday. But since we had time on our hands, we decided to work on… well, something else.”

Poe crouched down to check on BB-8’s battery level and groaned a little when his knees crunched. Stars, he really wasn’t 30 anymore. “How are you, buddy?”

“ BB-8 = fine. Poe = flying + reckless .”

“What? That little detour? Come on, where is your sense of adventure?”

“BB-8, you should’ve stopped him from flying through that asteroid belt,” said Hux with a frown.

BB-8 whistled sadly. “ Poe = stubborn moron .”

“I know, BB-8, I know,” sighed Hux. He went to Poe and gave him a peck on his head. “You are impossible.”

“I know,” Poe said with a self-satisfied grin.

***

Poe frowned and squinted into the mirror. Stars, there was little doubt: he had just discovered his first grey hair! He sighed and brushed his teeth. Oh well, perhaps it was only an isolated case. 

He returned into the bedroom. Hux was just finishing up a bit of work in the garage. Poe thought about taking a shower, but his thoughts returned to Hux. He felt a prick of lust—well, perhaps he should wait a bit with the shower. 

He sat on the bed and tried to type his latest report for the new fighter, but he found that he couldn’t focus. Stars, what was taking so long? When Hux finally appeared in the doorframe, he couldn’t help but grin. His dick perked up a bit.

Hux had grown even more handsome in recent years. His cheekbones were sharp as ever, so was his frame. But the physical work in the garage had made the lean muscles on his arms a bit more pronounced. And he had stopped shaving every day, sporting a bit of stubble every now and then.

Hux smiled at him. “I know that look. What are you up to?”

Poe jumped up from the bed and grabbed Hux from behind. “I didn’t finish my report on time, General. Perhaps some disciplinary action is in order?” He tiptoed and kissed his neck, starting to nibble at his ear.

Hux laughed a little. “You’re insatiable.”

Poe ran his hands over Hux’s hips while pressing his crotch against his ass. “Am I?”

Hux turned quickly around and grabbed his bulge, drawing a hiss of lust from him. “This is no way to greet a superior officer, soldier.” He palmed him, just like Poe liked it; with a firm but soft grip—making him want more.

Hux pulled the other man’s sweatpants and boxers down to his knees. Poe’s dick was already half stiff. Hux’s breath quickened, but he made an effort to sound indifferent. “This won’t do.” He slapped him on the ass. “Turn around.”

Poe did as he was told and moaned silently as Hux cupped his balls, holding them as if he was weighing them. He slapped him again on the ass with his other hand, sending a delicious sensation through Poe’s body. It felt like his cock had just snapped into a full erection. Stars, this was hot. 

“Come on, General, touch me properly.”

“Tsk-tsk—no sense of discipline at all.” He gave his ass another good slap. Then he traced Poe’s belly with his fingers, slowly making his way up to his pecs. He started to rub Poe’s nipples with his fingers until they were erect. He rubbed harder, pinching them from time to time, pulling at them, caressing them. It was frustrating and arousing at the same time, feeling his swollen nipples being played with. It was enough to make him hard but not enough to satisfy him.

“Are you a good soldier, Colonel?” asked Hux right next to his ear, sucking and licking at his neck. Stars, was he trying to make a hickey? 

“Please, no hickey,” he whispered. “They’ll all see.” He loved it, of course—flaunting it in public. Watching people notice it with Hux standing next to him.

Hux sucked harder and finally let go of him. “Hm, so delicious. Looks like you will have to wear your scarf again.”

He gave him a final pinch on his nipples and went to the nightstand. He took a tube of lube from the drawer. The very sight made Poe’s breath become even more ragged. His nipples were tingling and aching. Poe bit his lower lip and used his own hands to caress them. So sensitive, so  _ good _ .

Hux stepped out of sight and he could hear a squelching sound. Poe closed his eyes, biting on his lower lip. A shiver ran down his spine when he felt a slick finger on his ass cleft. The lube was cool, but it felt amazing against his hot skin. He widened his stance a little and Hux’s finger slid down until it stopped on his puckered hole. Without warning, the finger was shoved inside—the slight burn on his rim was just right. He moaned and started to whimper when the finger pressed against the small glands right above his balls.

“I can’t say that I approve of your lack of posture, soldier,” whispered Hux in his ear. “Shoulders and back straight.”

Poe groaned as Hux kept teasing his sweet spot. He somehow managed to stand up straighter. His cock felt hot and full—it was aching for a release. Every touch sent electricity through his body right up to his brain, making him lose control. He started to rut against Hux’s hand, moaning and whimpering at the same time. His engorged dick was bobbing along with the pace.

Finally he couldn’t take it anymore and grabbed his own dick. He started to jerk himself off as Hux continued to pump into his ass. So damn hot, full, and sensitive! Suddenly his hand was slapped away from his cock, just as he was on the cusp of cumming.

“Kriff,” he swore under his breath. 

“Language, soldier,” panted Hux behind him. All pretense was gone now when he heard Hux unbuckle his own belt. “Don’t you dare finish before your superior officer has.”

Sweat was running down Poe’s back and chest, and he could feel the slick lube between his legs. His dick was throbbing so hard that it was almost painful. Eagerly he spread his legs and bent forward.

He felt Hux’s cock against his slick ass as he slowly pushed in, inch by inch. From time to time he stopped, teasing Poe by pulling out before entering again. Poe grunted in frustration every time he felt the sweet pressure in his ass lessen. After what felt like an eternity, Hux was finally full sheathed inside him. Poe felt so full and so good that he swore he could come from the sensation alone. Hux started to thrust slowly but picked up speed after only a few moments.

“Stars, you are so tight,” he moaned as he kept pounding Poe. From time to time he hit Poe’s sweet spot, making him moan loudly. 

“I need to cum,” Poe begged, “please, General.”

Hux didn’t answer in words, but in his wild thrusts. He increased his pace until Poe felt him come inside, a warm, soft feeling spreading out.

“At ease soldier,” whispered Hux, grabbing Poe’s dick so hard and fast that he hissed in lust and pain. He could still feel Hux’s prick in his tight ass. He was full and so, so hot. Hux jerked him off so quickly that he came only moments later, shooting his load all over their bed. The release was so delicious, so powerful, that he sagged onto the bed, not caring about the mess on it.

Hux let himself fall on the bed right next to him. Poe was still coming down from his ecstasy, still feeling full and hot, cold and relaxed at the same time. “Kriff that was good.”

Hux propped up and kissed him. “Always such a tease.” He caressed Poe’s stomach, giving it a peck. “Your body is beautiful. You look so handsome like this.”

“Remember when I used to have abs?” Poe said with a huff. “I think I need to go on a diet or something.” Of course he had noticed that he was getting a bit heavier in recent years, but truth be told, he couldn’t bring himself to care. Not like he used to.

Hux continued to stroke his belly and his still defined chest and then finally his broad, muscular shoulders. “You are perfect, Poe. I love every bit of you.”

Poe laughed. “ _ You _ are perfect.”

“As always, you’re exaggerating,” chuckled Hux, his hair was hanging in his face. 

Poe reached up and brushed it back. “Next time we’ll do it softer, okay?”

“Ah, you’re always too greedy for that.”

“That’s not true—you’re the greedy one!”

“That’s the teapot calling the kettle black,” retorted Hux. 

“Stars,” said Poe and kissed him. “I really hate you, you uptight paper pusher.”

“Not as much as I hate you,” replied Hux softly before kissing him back. “Insufferable Rebel scum.”

***

Poe hoisted himself out of the cockpit of the  _ Iron Butterfly _ . His back hurt a little—stars, he was getting old. He then proceeded to climb down the ladder and wait for BB-8 to join him down on the ground. He stretched his back until it clicked.

“How is your battery charge, buddy?”

“ BB-8 = battery at 40%. Poe + long day = poor BB-8 .”

Poe laughed. “I don’t know. I feel that we’re both getting a bit old. I’ll ask Armitage in the morning to replace your battery—it’s depleting itself way too fast.”

“ BB-8 + charger = good as new .”

They walked over the field towards the majestic lemon tree and the large house across from the landing field. The twin moons were shining brightly, so Poe could see the hangar full of Armitage’s and Rose’s inventions clearly. The wind was picking up, bringing the smell of rain with it. Poe sighed and activated the weather shield above the  _ Iron Butterfly _ before heading into the house. 

BB-8 entered the house through the small cat door next to the main door and beeped as it plugged itself into the charger station.

“Good night,” said Poe in a quiet voice.

The house was quiet. He could see light upstairs, but it was already quite late. The test runs had taken much longer than expected. Oh well, he would just take the next day off. He shrugged his old, scruffy leather jacket off and hung it on the coat rack right by the door. He noticed that Armitage’s boots were laying on the ground. Millicent had probably knocked them over when she had returned from her nightly adventures in the fields.

Poe groaned a bit when he bent down to pick them up. He noticed that there was a spot on the right one. He sat down on the small bench, pulling his own boots off. Then he opened a drawer and took shoe cream and a rag out. He applied a bit of shoe cream to Hux’s boot and rubbed it until it was spotless again. Then he put the boots next to his, making sure that they were symmetrical. 

With another groan, he got up and walked up the stairs. Stars, he really needed to take better care of his joints. After all, he wasn’t 35 anymore. Not even 45 for that matter, as every look in the mirror confirmed. His once dark hair had become grey at the temples.

He stepped quietly into the bedroom. Armitage was laying in bed, fast asleep. He held a datapad in his left hand. Poe smiled and placed the pad on the nightstand. He took a moment to take in the sight before him. His husband had very light grey streaks in his radiant ginger hair, and a few wrinkles around his eyes. He looked as handsome as ever, and Poe bent down to give him a kiss.

He woke up, blinking slowly. “Hmm?”

“Sorry I’m so late.”

“It’s alright. I was busy with the new prototype. I didn’t even notice that it was past 23:00 before I went to bed.”

Poe sat down on the bed beside him and cupped his cheek. “Did you eat?”

Armitage huffed. “Of course I did.”

“I mean in the last 10 hours.”

“Maybe.”

“Well, tomorrow I’m staying home to make sure you’re properly fed.”

“When did you become such a mother hen?” asked Armitage in a soft voice. Poe knew that he loved it when he cared about him. Of course he would never admit it.

“Since you fell off that chair in Rose’s lab.”

“That was ten years ago.”

Poe smiled and kissed him again. “Feels like yesterday.”

He got up and discarded his clothes. He should probably take a shower after such a long day, but he was so tired and the prospect of snuggling up to Armitage was too tempting.

He slipped under the covers and spooned up behind him; Armitage sighed. “You smell good.” Outside it started to rain—the heavy drops drummed steadily against the window, and the wind howled mournfully into the night. It was the perfect weather to stay inside and enjoy each other’s warmth.

“I reek, but I guess you like my musky, male scent.”

“I missed you,” mumbled Armitage. From the sound of his voice he was already half asleep.

“I missed you too,  _ beautiful _ .”

Hux shifted a bit, rearranging his pyjama pants. “Hate you.”

Poe chuckled and closed his eyes, relaxing. He was home and all was well and as it should be.

_ The End _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading my fic ^^ I hope you liked it :D


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